16 Jul Livestream of US National Conference

Access the livestream of the main services of the 2021 US National Conference at: nc.ub.org

Two services remain: 6:30pm on Friday night, July 16. The speaker is Dr. Sherilyn Emberton, president of Huntington University.

At 9am Saturday morning, July 17, Bishop Todd Fetters–newly re-elected to another four-year term–will speak to conclude the conference.

Friday afternoon and evening, beginning at 2:00 pm, will be held at Huntington University. Many activities are planned–all of which have been moved indoors, with rain in the forecast. Anyone can attend, whether or not they are registered for the conference. So if you’re in the neighborhood, come to the HU campus and enjoy the fun–tours, music, food, activities for kids, and much more.

The Saturday morning service is also open to anyone. We’d love to have people from the surrounding area attend. The service will begin at 9am at the Grand Wayne Center in downtown Fort Wayne.

15 Jul HU Day at National Conference: Revised Schedule

On Friday, July 16, delegates to the US National Conference will gather at Huntington University for an afternoon and evening of tours, food, music, presentations, and other activities. It’s gonna be a great deal of fun. There will be an evening service at 6:30 in the Merillat Centre for the Arts, with President Sherilyn Emberton speaking.

This event is open to anyone. You don’t need to be registered for the US National Conference.

With rain in the forecast, all activities have been moved indoors…just in case. Below is the revised schedule.

You can also download the schedule in PDF, and view the HU campus map.

13 Jul Livestreaming National Conference

The 2021 US National Conference begins Wednesday, July 14, in Fort Wayne, Ind. The main services will all be livestreamed, so people can watch them online. Go to: http://nc.ub.org

This applies to four services:

• 6:30 Wednesday, July 14. Speaker: Mike Dittman, UB Director of National Ministries. Topic: “The Disciple-Maker as an Apprentice of Jesus.”
• 6:30 Thursday, July 15. Speaker: Frank Yang, executive director of UB Global. Topics: “The Disciple-Maker as a Foreigner in a Strange Land.”
• 6:30 Friday, July 16. Speaker: Sherilyn Emberton, President of Huntington University.
• 9:00 Saturday morning, July 17. Speaker: the bishop-elect (delegates will elect a bishop on Thursday morning, July 15).

24 Jun July 14 Golf Outing at National Conference

As part of the 2021 US National Conference, a Golf Outing will be held on the opening day, July 14. However, you can participate whether or not you are registered for the conference.

Time: 12:30 am
Location: Chestnut Hills Golf Course, Fort Wayne, Ind.
Cost: $50 for 18 holes, with cart

As of June 24, ten teams (20 players) have signed up. There’s room for more. The registration deadline is July 1.

Go here for more information and to register.

11 May June 4: Free Financial Seminar at Emmanuel UB Church

As part of the NAE Financial Health initiative, Brian Kluth, national spokesperson, will travel to over 100 cities across America on the Bless Your Pastor Tour to encourage greater financial health and generosity of churches and pastors.

Emmanuel UB church in Fort Wayne, Ind., will host one of these events.

Date: Friday, June 4
Time: 2-4 pm (doors open at 1:30)
Location: Emmanuel Community Church 12222 W US-24, Fort Wayne, IN 46814

The cost is free. You can register here.

10 May National Conference Preview Meetings

We’re looking forward to an exciting National Conference July 14-17 in Fort Wayne, Ind. Registrations arrive every day. As of Friday, May 7, the in-person registrations included 121 families and 42 individuals. In addition, 3 families and 9 individuals had registered to attend online.

To register, go here.

To help prepare people for the conference, Bishop Todd Fetters will lead three Zoom meetings–on May 24, 25, and 27. He will discuss the business meeting and other aspects of the conference, and a representative of the Nominating Committee will present their report.

Here are the times:

• Monday, May 24 @ 11:00 am
• Tuesday, May 25 @ 11:00 am
• Thursday, May 27 @ 7:00 pm

You must register. Prior to the online session, you will receive an email with the link for connecting to the Zoom meeting.

You can register for a Zoom meeting here.

17 Feb March 29: Free Idea to Action on Mental Health Issues

You’re welcome to sign up for the March 29 Idea to Action symposium. It will be held from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. This online-only event is free for everyone, but you must register.

The topic is “Erase the Stigma: Equipping the Church on Mental Health Issues.”

10:00 am
Dr. Mandy Kellums Baraka will address, “Who’s in Your Pew? History of Mental Health Care in the Church Congregations.”

Dr. Baraka is an assistant professor of counseling at Huntington University. She holds a master’s degree in clinical psychology from Wheaton College, and a doctorate in counselor education and supervision from Regent University. She has worked as a crisis therapist for Community Counseling Centers of Chicago.

11:00 am
Dr. Jerry Davis will lead a panel discussion on “Current Practices for Mental Health Care in the Church.” The panel participants:

• Rachele Dixie, Director of Christian Education at New Covenant Worship Center, Fort Wayne, Ind.
• Amanda Campati, Church administrator and coordinator of small group ministries at Broadway Christian Church, Fort Wayne, Ind.
• Kathleen Schaffer, member of the parish health team at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, New Haven, Ind.

Dr. Jerry Davis first joined the Huntington University faculty in 1981, and now teaches in the graduate counseling program. His experience includes 37 years of experience in private practice counseling and 25 years of clinical supervision.

11:45 am: break

12:00 pm
Dr. Eric Williams will address, “Pastoring Post Pandemic: Resources and Reflections for the Days Ahead.”

Dr. Williams teaches in the clinical mental health counseling program at Huntington University. His time as a counselor has seen him in many places, counseling everywhere from military bases to grade schools. He is credentialed as a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Supervisor and as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the state of North Carolina.

11 Feb NC2021 Registration Now Open

The 2021 US National Conference will be held July 14-17 in Fort Wayne, Ind. We are returning to the downtown Grand Wayne Center, where the 2013 conference was held.

This will be a “hybrid” conference. You can attend in-person, or attend online. The registration cost is the same either way. Both options have their perks and advantages.

For complete information and to register, go to the conference website.

Schedule

The format will be similar to previous conferences–start on Wednesday night, business meeting on Thursday morning, workshops on Friday morning, keynote addresses each night, concluding service Saturday morning. We’ll spend Friday afternoon and evening at Huntington University, our college, where some exciting things are planned. There is a youth track, and childcare will be provided at specified times.

View the Schedule page.

Business Meeting

Business is being kept to a minimum this year, but delegates will still need to elect a bishop and four members of the Executive Leadership Team. Mostly, we’ll focus on reports and vision.

View the Business page.

Lodging

Choose from three hotels, ranging from $115-$130 per night. The Hilton is integrated into the Grand Wayne Center, and the Courtyard and Hampton Inn are located across the street. All very convenient.

View the Lodging page.

Keynote Speakers

For the keynote evening messages, we are using three of our denominational directors: Mike Dittman (National Ministries), Frank Yang (UB Global), and Sherilyn Emberton (Higher Education). All will address aspects of the theme, “Make Disciples.” The bishop-elect will speak on Saturday morning.

Read more about the keynote speakers.

Registration

Registration is now open. Go here to register.

In-person: Individual: $75
In-person: Family: $115
Online: Attendee (maximum 1 vote per link): $75
Online: Attendee & Spouse (maximum 2 votes per link): $115

Go to the conference website for more information about Schedule, Lodging, Business, Youth and Childcare, Speakers, and more.

02 Feb UB History Course: March 15-16, 2021

A date has been set for the next UB History Course:

Date: March 15-16, 2021 (Monday and Tuesday).
Time: 9 am to 4 pm both days.
Instructor: Rev. Bob Bruce.

The course will be held online via Zoom.

About the Course

The UB History Course is held periodically, either online or in regional locations. This course is a requirement for ministerial licensing in the United Brethren denomination, and qualifies for 12 credit hours.

However, people who just want to learn more about United Brethren history are welcome to take the course. Laypersons, especially local church leaders (board chairpersons and members, lay delegates, etc.), are encouraged to attend. It’s valuable to have an understanding about United Brethren history.

The cost is $200, if you are seeking a ministerial license. There is a $50 discount if you pay fully in advance of the class, making your cost just $150. Three books are also required.

For everyone else, the cost is $100.

For full information, go here.

To register, go here.

30 Sep 25 Students from Three Countries Attend Latest UB History Course

A record 25 people, including four men from Jamaica, attended the September 28-29 UB History course. The course, which is a requirement for ministerial licensing, was taught via Zoom. Bob Bruce, formerly a fulltime staffer at Emmanuel Community Church (Fort Wayne, Ind.), led the course. Cathy Reich, administrative assistant to the bishop, tended to the technical and administrative aspects of the event.

The Covid crisis has led to some unexpected discoveries. One is that face-to-face meetings are not always necessary. Various denominational groups, including the Executive Leadership Team and the UB Global board, have been holding meetings online. In the process, money is saved on travel, food and lodging, and members don’t spend many hours traveling back and forth.

The UB History Course is another example. The in-person course scheduled last spring was hastily converted to a Zoom course, and it went surprisingly well. So when another session was scheduled for September, it was designed from the start as a Zoom class.

Of the 25 students, all but two were taking the course for licensing. They included one person from Canada, four from Jamaica, and 20 from the United States. The latter included persons participating from Pennsylvania, Maryland, South Carolina, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois. There were 7 women and 18 men.

The format also allowed for guests to pop in and talk about an aspect of the denomination. They included Bishop Todd Fetters, Frank Y (acting director of UB Global), Jim Bolich (director of Ministerial Licensing), Steve Dennie (Communications director), Dr. Sherilyn Emberton (president of Huntington University), and Dr. Anthony Blair (president of Evangelical Seminary).