14 Sep UB History Course: Sept 24-25, 2018

The next UB History Course has been scheduled:

Date: September 24-25, 2018
Location: UB National Office, 302 Lake Street, Huntington, IN 46750.

The United Brethren History Course is a requirement for ministerial licensing in the United Brethren denomination. However, people who just want to learn more about United Brethren history are welcome to take the course. The course is held periodically in regional settings.

For United Brethren ministers, the course qualifies for 12 credit hours.

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.
• $100 for everyone else.

The instructor is Rev. Bob Bruce, Pastor of Caring Ministries at Emmanuel Community Church in Fort Wayne, Ind. He has been teaching the course since 2012.

Go here for more information and to register.

12 Jul August 13-15: Free Marriage Retreat for UB Pastoral Couples

The 5th Annual Marriage Retreat for United Brethren Pastoral Couples will be held August 13-15 at Rhodes Grove Camp & Conference Center in Chambersburg, Pa.

This retreat is reserved for pastors and spouses serving in United Brethren in Christ churches. Please plan to separate yourselves from the needs of everyday life and invest in your marriage.

There is no cost. This three-day, two-night retreat is sponsored in full by the United Brethren National Office, the United Brethren Association for Church Development, and Rhodes Grove Camp.

The retreat topic is “Christian Marriage from the Ground Up.” It will focus on God’s unapologetic blueprint for marriage that sustains creation and reveals new creation.

The keynote speakers are Michael & Yvonne Wentz. During their 33 years of marriage, they have raised three boys and were involved in four church plants. Michael is now senior pastor of Prince Street UB church in Shippensburg, Pa. Yvonne (M.S. Math Education) is K-12 Math Supervisor in the Chambersburg School District.

06 Jun 2018 UB Women’s Conference Filling Fast

Registration is still open for a limited time for the 2018 UB Women’s Conference. This conference is filling up quickly, with 200 out of 250 spots already filled.

Date
September 28-30, 2018

Location
Renaissance Toledo Downtown Hotel
444 N Summit St.
Toledo, OH 43604

The UB Women’s Conference is held every two years. Nearly 250 women attended the 2016 conference in Gettysburg, Pa. As with the last few conferences, things get started on Friday afternoon and conclude on Sunday morning.

Register for the conference at UBWomen.org.

30 Apr Starting Monday Night: Third Pastors Summit

About 55 United Brethren pastors and spouses are attending the third Pastors Summit, which begins tonight (April 30) in Daytona Beach, Fla. This summit is for senior pastors and spouses from churches with an attendance less than 150. They are coming from seven states–Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, and Kansas.

Also attending are Bishop Todd and Lisa Fetters, and National Ministries director Mike and Pam Dittman. The summit will conclude at noon on Thursday.

The Pastors Summit for churches of 300+ attendance was held three weeks ago (April 9-12), and the summit for churches of 150-300 attendance was held two weeks ago (April 16-19). Last week, April 23-27, was the annual UB Youth Summit for youth leaders in UB churches.

That leaves only the Associate Staff Summit, for ministers serving in staff roles at UB churches. It will be held next week, May 7-11.

All of these events are being held in Daytona Beach, Fla.

19 Apr Second Pastor Summit Ends This Week

Attendees of the April 16-19 summit in Daytona Beach, Fla.

Lisa Fetters (right) with Janet Bolich, from Prince Street UB church (Shippensburg, Pa.).

Bishop Todd Fetters (left) with Marc Stephenson, pastor of Mt. Olivet UB church (Chambersburg, Pa.).

Every other year–the year when we don’t have National Conference–we hold Pastors Summits for senior pastors and spouses. Three such summits are happening during April. All are being held in Daytona Beach, Fla., starting on a Monday and ending on Thursday.

The first summit was held April 9-12. It was for senior pastors and spouses from churches with an attendance above 300. Nine pastoral couples attended, along with Bishop Todd and Lisa Fetters, National Ministries director Mike Dittman, and UB Global associate director Frank Y.

The second summit is ending today. It is for senior pastors and spouses from churches with an attendance of 150-300. The attendees include nine pastoral couples, three senior pastors by themselves, plus Bishop Todd and Lisa Fetters and Mike Dittman.

The third Pastors Summit will be held April 30 – May 3. This one is for senior pastors and spouses from churches with an attendance below 150. This will be the largest group. There will be 22 pastoral couples, plus six senior pastors attending by themselves. Todd and Lisa Fetters and Mike and Pam Dittman will also attend.

09 Apr April 23: Ministry Leadership Resource Day in Pennsylvania

The United Brethren Association’s Annual Ministry Leadership Resource Day is coming up. The deadline for registering is April 13.

Date: Monday, April 23rd
Time: 9 am – Noon
Location: Rhodes Grove Camp & Conference Center.
Address: 7693 Browns Mill Road, Chambersburg, PA 17202

Formerly known as “Pastor Resource Day”

UB Pastor Mike Dean will unpack II Corinthians 10:3-5. What is a “stronghold”? What does it mean to “take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ”? Learn Scriptural principles for healing, wrong thinking, and damaged emotions.

Anyone in any leadership position at your church is invited to attend. Please help us to spread the word! There is no cost to attend the seminar. Fees associated with lunch and Sunday night lodging are on the brochure.

Download and mail in your registration form, or register here.

07 Mar April 23: Pastoral Resource Day in Pennsylvania

The United Brethren Association’s Annual Ministry Leadership Resource Day is coming up. Anyone in any leadership position at your church is invited to attend. (This event was formerly known as “Pastor Resource Day.”)

Date: Monday, April 23rd
Time: 9 am – Noon
Location: Rhodes Grove Camp & Conference Center.
Address: 7693 Browns Mill Road, Chambersburg, PA 17202

Mike Dean, pastor of Living Water UB church (Winchester, Va.) will unpack II Corinthians 10:3-5. What is a “stronghold”? What does it mean to “take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ”? Learn Scriptural principles for healing, wrong thinking, and damaged emotions.

There is no cost to attend the seminar. Fees associated with lunch and Sunday night lodging are on the brochure.

You can register here.

07 Mar March 24: Integrate for Life Conference in Fort Wayne, Ind.

The 2nd Annual Integrate for Life Conference will be held Saturday, March 24, 2018. This conference is designed to help individuals and families in our churches and communities live a more healthy, balanced life spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically.

Location: Emmanuel Community Church, 12222 US 24 West, Fort Wayne, Ind.

Time: on Saturday, March 24, 2018. Registration begins at 7:30 am.

Early Registration: $25 by February 24
Registration after February 24: $35

The conference, provided by area counselors and health professionals, will teach practical ways to find healing and hope when facing the stresses of life and hurts in relationships.

Keynote Speakers and Workshops

Dr. Peter Jakacki & Dr. Gregory Sowles will lead keynote sessions at the beginning and end of the day (8-9am and 2-3 pm). In between will be three breakout sessions, with a total of 18 workshops being offered.

1. Suicide Prevention- saving those who are hurting.
2. Breaking out of the bondage of over-control in marital relationships.
3. Same-Sex Attraction/Homosexuality: Walk a Mile in Their Shoes.
4. Same-Sex Attraction/Homosexuality: A Gracious Response.
5. Boundaries in Relationships.
6. Nutritional Deficiency: Hype or Reality? Exploring options and utilizing diagnostic tools and lab testing on Micronutrients, MTHFR, and beyond.
7. The Dance of Marriage: New Steps to Understanding and Collaboration.
8. Making the Connection: Understanding how Social Media is Changing Relationships.
9. Refreshed or Stressed?- Harnessing awareness to live well in a chaotic world.
10. Aging, Dementia and Living Forward.
11. Brain Health: Moving Beyond Epigenetics of the Integrated-Self into a thriving life.
12. Connecting With Kids: Parenting Towards Secure Attachment.
13. Forgiveness: Letting loose the bondage of living a wounded lifestyle.
14. Emotional Freedom Techniques: EFT to Relieve Distress and Trauma Responses.
15. Out of the Ashes: How the Holocaust Birthed the Feuerstein Program and its Applications Today.
16. Burnout: Under the Broom Tree.
17. Living Well with Chronic Pain.
18. There’s NO SUCH THING as a Superman (woman) Cape – How to Really Care for Yourself.

Go here for details, bios on speakers and workshops leaders, and registration.

If you would like to partner with us as a vendor or underwriter click this link. For vendor or underwriter questions, contact Andrew Ott or Bonnie Kiser.

If you have questions or need more information, call Emmanuel Community Church, 260-672-3377.

12 Feb April: Ignite Missions Conference in Ontario and Michigan

UB Global will hold its Ignite! conference twice during April–in Ontario, and in Michigan. Ignite! is a one-day regional missions conference held in United Brethren churches. Presentations, workshops, prayer time, and conversations aim to help participants walk away with a deeper love for God and His mission around the world.Here are the dates and locations.

Ontario

Date: April 14, 2018
Time: 9am- 4:30pm
Location: Stanley Park UB Church, 9 Dreger Ave, Kitchener ON, Canada
Cost: $20. Register and pay at your local church.

Michigan

Date: April 21, 2018
Time: 9am- 4:30pm
Location: Homefront UB Church, 6265 8th Avenue SW, Grandville, MI
Cost: $15. Please register at ubglobal.org/ignite and pay online or by check.

In both locations, lunch is included in the registration cost.

Ignite is all about:

• Living missionally right where you are—whether you’re a student or a retiree or somewhere in between.
• New models of going in mission.
• How to better practically engage as North American Christians.
• Using your experiences and vocations to support God’s mission.
• Resources and models of prayer.
• An update of UB missions around the world.
• Current issues and practices.

25 Jan 2018 Cluster Leader Winter Gathering

Mike Dittman speaking at the Cluster Leader Winter Gathering.

Dr. Sherilyn Emberton (center) with Revs. William and Mary Flamer.

Brooks Fetters (left) and Bishop Todd Fetters.

Matt and Emily Hann

The session for spouses.

Twenty-one (out of 24) cluster leaders attended the annual Cluster Leader Winter Gathering, held January 22-23 at Huntington University (Huntington, Ind.). Cluster leaders are UB ministers who oversee a group of about seven senior pastors. Most clusters consist of pastors located close to each other geographically.

The Winter Gathering began on Monday night, January 22, with a dinner for cluster leaders, spouses, and staff at the United Brethren National Office. Dr. Sherilyn Emberton, president of Huntington University, gave some remarks. Matt and Emily Hann, from College Park UB church, provided music. Then Brooks Fetters, an ordained UB minister who is mayor of the city of Huntington, gave a message on leadership issues.

Bishop Todd Fetters started the Tuesday meeting with a devotional. Then Mike Dittman, director of National Ministries, led a couple hours of training. Meanwhile, Lisa Fetters and Pam Dittman led a track for spouses of cluster leaders.

For cluster leaders, the morning concluded with a discussion about a proposal to remove the requirement that UB ministers totally abstain from drinking alcohol (the prohibition for laypersons was removed in 2005). The issue will be discussed in cluster groups this year, and will probably be dealt with at the 2019 US National Conference.

The Cluster Leader Winter Gathering concluded with lunch on Tuesday.

Only senior pastors must attend cluster meetings. Clusters must meet at least six times per year. The typical schedule is September, October and November, take a break for the holidays, and resume February, March, and April. You can view all of the cluster groups here.

For staffpersons, we offer an Associate Staff Summit and a Youth Workers Summit (which is actually held every year). This is the year for all of these summits.