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 news@ub.org

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.

08 Mar UB History Course: April 20 and 27 in West Virginia

The two-day United Brethren History Course will be held over two Saturdays, April 20 and 27, at the Fountain UB church in Keyser, W. Va. The course is a requirement for ministerial licensing in the United Brethren church. However, people who just want to learn more about United Brethren history are free to take it.

Basic Information

• The cost is $200 for persons who need licensing, $100 for everybody else.
• You will need to read the UB history book “Trials and Triumphs” beforehand. It is available through the Healthy Ministry Resources bookstore for $14.95 (plus shipping). Order a copy by calling toll-free: 888.622.3019
• Register using the online form at: ub.org/events/ubhistory

Details

Location: Fountain UB church, Rural Route 6, Keyser, WV 26726-9205.
Phone: 304-788-5180
Date: April 20 and 27 (both are Saturdays)
Time: 9 am – 4 pm each day
Teacher: Daryl Elliott (right), senior pastor of Fountain UB church.

For more information and to register, go to the UB website. Direct any questions to Cathy Reich, Administrative Assistant.

28 Feb Regional Meetings in Ohio and Michigan

Bishop Phil Whipple explaining the proposals which will come before the National Conference this summer.

On February 25, the second of four regional meetings was held in Willshire, Ohio, with 52 people attending. Bishop Phil Whipple led everyone through the 27 proposals for changing the United Brethren Discipline which the National Conference will consider in June.

As a result of suggestions and discussion at that meeting, the bishop made six changes to the proposals (and a couple other ideas are being considered). The complete document containing the proposals has been updated, and can be downloaded from the National Conference website.

Two more meetings will be held–one in March in eastern Ohio, and one in April in Michigan. These meetings are open to anyone. Ministers and lay delegates are especially encouraged to attend.

Monday, March 18: Pleasant Heights Church (East Liverpool, Ohio)
Location address: 848 Northside, East Liverpool, OH 43920

Monday, April 8: East Washington Church (Ashley, Mich.)
Location address: 8051 S Crapo Rd, Ashley, MI 48806

Also participating in the meetings and making presentations will be:

• Todd Fetters, Director of National Church Ministries.
• Gary Gates, Director of Ministerial Licensing.
• Jeff Bleijerveld, Director of Global Ministries.
• Steve Dennie, Communications Director

Please Register in Advance! We need to give the host churches a headcount for lunch. 

The meetings go from 9:30 am through lunch (which is free).

26 Feb Winter Slam 2013

Teens attending Winter Slam 2013 (click to enlarge)

Teens attending Winter Slam 2013

The crowd at Winter Slam (click to enlarge)

Dan Henley, Prince Street UB church (Shippensburg, Pa.)

Winter Slam, held February 8-10, 2013, brought 359 students and youth workers from 15 different churches to western Pennsylvania. There, on the slopes of Pennsylvania’s Laurel Highlands on the western Appalachian Mountain range, they spent three days in a time of winter fun and spiritual renewal.

Sponsored by Big MAC Youth Ministries in conjunction with Huntington University, Winter Slam (formally Big MAC Ski Attack), a weekend winter retreat, has been an annual youth attraction for over 20 years. Various churches, both in and out of UBdom, use it as an outreach and spiritual renewal event.

Located about 45 miles southeast of Pittsburgh, Laurelville Mennonite Church Center, in Mt. Pleasant, Pa., has served as the venue for three days of worship, fellowship, and the presentation of the Gospel–not to mention skiing, tubing, and snowboarding. For most, the messages during the morning and evening sessions are a highlight in the lives of students.

This year, our times of worship were led by the Indiana-based Christian pop-rock band, “Attaboy.” Their combination of popular worship music and a few of their own original recordings were well received by both students and youth workers. Together, with over 350 voices rising in praise and adoration, these three young men poured both their hearts and their talent into their music and their worship.

The organizers took a different approach this year in regards to the speaker. Rather than bring in one speaker for all four sessions, four different youth pastors affiliated with Big MAC Youth Ministries filled the role of “speaker,” each using their own unique approach to the subject of “Value.” Each message touched on how much God values us and how it makes no difference how non-valuable you think you are, to God you are very important. The speakers also challenged the group about the things they value, and whether or not Christ is high on that list.

One evening as a call to respond to God was given, over 200 students and adults made a literal stand for Jesus, rising to their feet and proclaiming before God and others that they were turning their lives over to Christ, or rededicating their lives to Him. Praise God!

25 Feb 52 Attend Regional Meeting in Willshire, Ohio

Todd Fetters, Director of National Ministries, got the morning started with a devotional.

Bishop Phil Whipple led people through the nearly 30 proposals for revising the Discipline.

Gary Gates, director of Ministerial Licensing, gave an update on some licensing issues.

On Monday morning, February 25, 2013, Praise Point UB church (Willshire, Ohio) hosted a regional meeting attended by 52 people. The event was designed primarily to provide a preview of proposals which will come before the US National Conference in June 2013.

The award for coming the farthest goes to Kevin Bergdall, a layperson from Kilburn Avenue UB in Rockford, Ill. Other distant travelers came from Blissfield, Mich., Oak Harbor, Ohio, and Lancaster, Ohio.

The event began with a devotional by Todd Fetters, newly hired as Director of National Ministries. Jeff Bleijerveld, director of Global Ministries, gave an update on UB mission work around the world, and then Gary Gates, the Director of Ministerial Licensing, gave an update on some licensing issues.

After a short break, Bishop Phil Whipple spent the rest of the morning walking everyone through the nearly 30 proposals for revising the Discipline. There was some feedback and discussion on a few issues, with some good suggestions.

Two more regional meetings are scheduled:

• March 18 at Pleasant Heights UB church (East Liverpool, Ohio).
• April 8 at East Washington UB church (Ashley, Mich.).

These meetings are open to anyone who wants to attend. However, we ask that you register online so the host church can be given a count for lunch.

21 Feb 2013 General Conference

Delegates and guests who attended the 2010 General Conference in Honduras.

The next meeting of General Conference, an international gathering of UBs from every conference, will occur in a few months:

Date: May 29 – June 2, 2013.
Location: Parkwood Gardens UB church, Guelph, Ontario

General Conference brings together representatives from all 10 United Brethren national conferences, 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 will be held at the Parkwood Gardens UB church in Guelph, Ontario. Brian Magnus (right), Bishop of the Canadian conference, is the pastor at Parkwood Gardens. He is also chairman of the International Executive Committee, and will chair the meetings of the General Conference.

12 Feb 2013 Youth Workers Summit

In 2012, the Youth Workers Summit attracted 25 youth workers from across UBdom (above). It was a great time of networking with other youth leaders and being encouraged by others who are in the trenches of youth ministry. They enjoyed 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 can now register for the annual UB Youth Workers Summit.

Date: April 29 – May 2 (Monday – Thursday).
Location: at First UB church in Holly Hill, Fla.
Registration Cost: $99 ($120 after April 1).

The theme is “THRIVE: More Than Just Surviving in Youth Ministry.” Participants will spend some much-needed time together talking, learning, serving, worshipping, laughing, sharing, and connecting with brothers and sisters in the trenches of youth ministry.

This conference is for the “lead” (or primary) youth leader of your United Brethren church, whether full-time, part-time, or volunteer.

The keynote speaker is Arthus Wilson (right), campus pastor at Huntington University.

Attendees will stay at the Ocean Walk Resort in Daytona Beach, Fla. The cost of lodging is included in the registration fee, unless you bring your spouse (in which case you are responsible for your own lodging expenses and reservations.

The conference begins with steaks on the grill at 4:00 on Monday afternoon, April 29, and will come to a close after the evening session on Thursday, May 2. Please make your travel arrangements accordingly.