(260) 356-2312

UB.orgUBGlobal.orgChurch Search

09 Jul

July 9, 2011 |

Over 600 photos from the 2011 US National Conference have been published on the United Brethren Facebook page.

Feel free to tag photos of people you know (or of yourself).

07 Jul

July 7, 2011 |

The US National Conference elected 8 members for the Executive Leadership Team for 2011-2013. The voting went like this. The person elected is in italics.

East District Clergy

Todd Fetters: 166
Daryl Elliott: 44

East District Laypersons

Robert Eberly: 74
Annette Sites: 137

Central District Clergy

Marty Pennington: 142
Brad Kittle: 63

Central District Laypersons

Tim Krugh: 77
Debbie Voight: 127

North District Clergy

Lester Smith: 122
Mike Arnold: 76

North District Laypersons

Joan LaClair: 57
Dan Paternoster: 143

West District

Tim Hallman: 113
Kent Koteskey: 93

West District Laypersons

Jim Cates: 90
Molly Kesler: 116

The only new person elected was Tim Hallman, senior pastor of Anchor Community Church (Fort Wayne, Ind.).

Three of the four women on the ballot were elected. All three are pastors’ wives.

These 8 persons, along with chairman Phil Whipple, will appoint four more persons to the ELT. There will be one appointee from each district–two of them clergy, two of the laypersons.

07 Jul

July 7, 2011 |

L-r: Jason Bakker, Micheal Dean, Roxton Spear, Gary Boston, Marshall Woods, and Dalton Jenkins.

Seven men will be ordained during the closing service of the US National Conference on Saturday, July 9. Bishop Phil Whipple will conduct the service. Each candidate has selected ordained elders to assist in their ordination.

The six candidates are:

  • Jason E. Bakker, associate pastor of Salem UB (Chambersburg, Pa.). Assisting: Art Page and Dennis Sites.
  • Micheal E. Dean, senior pastor of Sabetha UB (Sabetha, Kansas). Assisting: Ron Ramsey and Ray Seilhamer.
  • Roxton W. Spear, senior pastor of Mongul UB (Shippensburg, Pa.). Assisting: Milt Herrold, Howard Beaver, and Dwight Spear.
  • Gary Boston, an unassigned minister from Winchester, Va. Assisting: Chris Little and Dennis Sites.
  • Marshall Woods III, senior pastor of Mill Chapel (Reedsville, W. Va.). Assisting: Chris Little and Dennis Sites.
  • Dalton M. Jenkins, senior pastor of Bethel Temple of Praise (Yonkers, N.Y.). Assisting: Ron Ramsey.
  • Kenneth E. Williamson, Jr., a military chaplain from Idaville UB (Idaville, Pa.). Assisting: Ron Ramsey and Ray Seilhamer.

06 Jul

July 6, 2011 |

At the registration booth.

Dan Paternoster, a layperson from Michigan, and Charles Milliken, a minister from Pennsylvania, served as greeters on Wednesday afternoon.

Sam Ward (left) and the team from Emmanuel Community Church (Fort Wayne, Ind.) led in worship on Wednesday night.

;

UBs from all over worshipping together.

The 2011 US National Conference got off to a great start on Wednesday, July 6, at Saw Mill Creek in Huron, Ohio.

Throughout the afternoon, people arrived from throughout the denomination–over 700 people. They were received by a friendly group of volunteers who greeted them at the door and got them registered.

Keynote speaker Rex Bullock.

The conference officially kicked off at 6:30 pm with the opening service. A worship team from Emmanuel Community Church (Fort Wayne, Ind.) led the people in singing, with videos and a drama rounding out the opening part of the service.

Then Bishop Phil Whipple introduced the week’s keynote speaker, Rex Bullock. Rex gave an inspiring message on “Fanning the Flame.”

The day concluded with an ice cream social sponsored by Huntingotn University.

Altogether, a great start.

Thursday includes:

  • An 8 am worship service.
  • A breakfast for delegates, spnsored by the Israel Ministry of Tourism, who will give a brief presentation.
  • The business sessino, with adjourment set for noon.
  • The Golf Scramble.
  • The evening service at 6:30.
  • An after-service reception sponsored by Global Ministries.

05 Jul

July 5, 2011 |

Josh Greenfield (on the ladder) and Steve Dennie put up one of Josh's many signs.

The main hall, with five big screens.

Paul Hammel helps prepare the attendee packets.

Tuesday was a busy day at the Saw Mill Creek Resort, as a large crew of people from several states came to prepare for the US National Conference, which starts tomorrow.

  • They prepared everything needed for registration, including stuffing ov er 700 bags with materials for attendees.
  • They put up colorful signs.
  • They worked on the main hall where the evening services will be held–staging, sound, lighting, etc.
  • They filled the Granary–the hospitality room–with goodies, which attendees can take advantage of all week long.
  • And they did many other things.

The day ended with a poolside meal for all of the volunteers.

Registration begins Wednesday at noon, and the first service begins that night at 6:30. It’s gonna be exciting!

You can view a bunch of photos from the day on Flickr.

02 Jul

July 2, 2011 |

Report 33 to the US National Conference, which you can download in PDF format, compiles statistics for the year 2010. Of the 177 churches in the United States, 160 submitted the required annual reports for 2010 (due back in February). The statistics for the churches that reported show:

Total Attendance: 21,242
Total Membership: 16,003
Total Converts: 1,493
Total Baptisms: 779
Total Income: $32.6 million
Total Expenses: $30.9 million

The PDF file also lists every church individually, giving the following information:

  • Church name, location, and pastor
  • 2009 and 2010 attendances, and how much it went up or down
  • 2010 membership
  • 2010 converts
  • 2010 baptisms
  • 2010 total income
  • 2010 total expenses

You’ll also find:

  • A list of the 25 largest churches in 2010 by attendance, and a comparison with their attendance in 2000.
  • A list of the churches which have grown at least 10% since 2000 (there are 49 of them).

30 Jun

June 30, 2011 |

The US National Conference begins on Wednesday, July 6. As of Thursday, June 30, we have 742 people registered. We’re very pleased with that number.

Here is a further breakdown:

  • 197 ministers
  • 170 lay delegates
  • 230 other lay persons
  • 145 children
  • 372 signed up for the Friday morning workshops.
  • 114 signed up for the UB Historical Society Banquet
  • 25 youth signed up for Cedar Point Trip
  • 43 signed up for a special luncheon Thursday with IN Network, to talk about ministry in Turkey.
  • 12 signed up for a special luncheon on Friday with Renew Communities, a church plant in the Cleveland area.

30 Jun

June 30, 2011 |

We’re looking for more people to participate in the National Conference choir. If you’re attending the US National Conference next week, and would like to participate in the choir, send a note to Chris Kuntz [email removed].

The choir will practice on Friday afternoon, 1:30-3:30. The National Conference site has complete information, including the song list and music.

16 Jun

June 16, 2011 |

Dr. Paul R. Fetters

In the Western Christian liturgical calendar, Trinity Sunday is the first Sunday after Pentecost. Trinity Sunday celebrates the Christian doctrine of the Trinity–the mystery of the Triune Godhead: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

As United Brethren in Christ, we say in our Confession of Faith:

“In the name of God, we declare and confess before men that we believe in the only true God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost: that these three are one—the Father in the Son, the Son in Father, and the Holy Ghost equal in essence or being with both; that this Triune God created the heavens and the earth and all that in them is, visible as well as invisible, and furthermore sustains, governs, protects, and supports the same.”

Immanent Trinity. In Scripture, each person of the Trinity is found in eternal equality of essence and being. In Scripture, each Person of the Trinity is found in loving relationship and intimate communion. This intrinsic Being has been referred to by an early Church Father, Gregory of Nanzianzus, as a perichoresis. In the Greek, peri means “around” and choresis “choreography (dancing).”

One hymn, The Dance of the Trinity, captures the mystery of the Three-in-One or the One-in-Three:

The play of the God head, the Trinity’s dance,
Embraces the earth in sacred romance:
With God the Creator, and Christ the true Son,
Entwined with the Spirit, a web daily spun
in spangles of mystery the great Three-in-One.
–The Play of the God Head

Economic Trinity. In Scripture, each Person of the Trinity is involved in every aspect of creating, sustaining, governing, protecting, redeeming, and sanctifying. Also, Scripture emphasizes the identification of the predominant work of each Person of the Trinity–God the Father, the Creator; God the Son, the Redeemer; and God the Spirit, the Sanctifier.

Let not the glorious mystery of the Holy Trinity hinder our Church of the United Brethren in Christ in its proclamation of this fundamental Christian doctrine.