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Marc Stephenson was appointed senior pastor of First UB church in New Castle, Pa., effective January 1, 2019. Since 2012 he had been senior pastor of Mt. Olivet UB (Chambersburg, Pa.), and was youth pastor of Cochranton Community UB (Cochranton, Pa.) 2005-2012. Marc was ordained in 2007.
L-r: Jim Bolich, Ray Seilhamer, Jason Bakker, Arthur Page, Michael Wentz, Jason Holliday, Gary Reiber.
Chambersburg, Pa.
Jim Bolich was appointed senior pastor of Mount Pleasant UB church (Chambersburg, Pa.) effective July 1, 2018. He had been pastor of Prince Street UB church (Shippensburg, Pa.) since 2002. Ray and Ruth Seilhamer completed a two-year interim assignment at Mount Pleasant on June 24, and have moved back to their home in Roanoke, Ind.
Chambersburg, Pa.
Jason Bakker was appointed senior pastor of Salem UB church (Chambersburg, Pa.) effective July 1, 2018. He had served as associate pastor at Salem since 2007, and was ordained in 2011. He takes the place of Arthur Page, who resigned effective July 1 after serving Salem since 2005.
Shippensburg, Pa.
Michael Wentz has been appointed senior pastor of Prince Street UB church (Shippensburg, Pa.) effective July 1, 2018. He had previously pastored United Brethren churches 1995-2008, and was ordained in 1997, after which he was employed as a health care manager.
Philomath, Ore.
Aaron de Neui (pronounce dəˈnī) was appointed senior pastor of Philomath Community Church (Philomath, Ore.) effective August 1, 2018. Rick Finley retired effective July 29, 2018, after 36 years in United Brethren ministry in Washington and Oregon, including 1989-2018 as pastor of Philomath.
Fort Wayne, Ind.
Jason Holliday was appointed senior pastor of Living Grace Community Church (Fort Wayne, Ind.) effective July 23. He had served on staff at Emmanuel UB church (Fort Wayne) since 2004, and was ordained in 2013. Gary Reiber resigned after pastoring Living Grace (formerly Union Chapel) since 2002, and after having served in UB ministry since 1993.
Jim Bolich (right) has been appointed senior pastor of Mount Pleasant UB church (Chambersburg, Pa.) effective July 1, 2018. He had been senior pastor of Prince Street UB church (Shippensburg, Pa.) since 2002, and prior to that served in associate pastor roles at two other Pennsylvania UB churches–Franklin (New Castle) and Mongul (Shippensburg). He is also part-time Director of Ministerial Licensing for the US National Conference.
At Mount Pleasant, he will replace Dr. Ray Seilhamer, who is concluding a two year assignment as interim pastor. He and Ruth will be moving back to their home in Roanoke, Ind.
Brad and Janet North
Brad North was appointed senior pastor of South Scipio UB church (Harlan, Ind.) effective April 1, 2018. He had been in camp ministry since 1997, most recently as director of Camp Living Waters in Luther, Mich., since 2013. He replaces Ken Thompson, who had pastored South Scipio for two years.
L-r: Josh and Sara Good, Les and Linda Smith, David and Jennifer Dakin.
Josh Good has been appointed senior pastor of Hillsdale UB church (Hillsdale, Mich.) effective June 4, 2018. He has been in United Brethren ministry since 1998, serving in youth ministry until 2012, when he became senior pastor of Homefront UB church in Grandville, Mich.
Lester Smith is concluding 20 years as senior pastor at Hillsdale. Smith is retiring on June 1 after 38 years in United Brethren ministry. During that time, he served at four different UB churches in Michigan–Pennfield (Battle Creek) 1980-1982, Maple Hill (Grandville) 1982-1987, Richfield Road (Flint) 1987-1998, and Hillsdale since 1998. He has provided leadership in a number of roles within Michigan Conference and at the denominational level, including assistant chairperson of the Executive Leadership Team.
David Dakin has been appointed senior pastor of Homefront UB church (Grandville, Mich.) effective June 11, 2018. He had been associate pastor of Jerusalem Chapel UB church (Churchville, Va.).
L-r: Josh Good, Lester Smith, Darrel Bosworth, Jerald Jones.
Josh Good has been appointed pastor of Hillsdale UB church (Hillsdale, Mich.) effective June 10, 2018. He has been senior pastor of Homefront UB church (Grandville, Mich.) since 2012, and has served in United Brethren ministry since 1998.
Lester Smith, senior pastor of Hillsdale UB church since 1998, is retiring effective June 1, 2018. He has been a United Brethren minister since 1980, serving four different UB churches in Michigan: Pennfield (Battle Creek), Maple Hill (Grandville), Richfield Road (Flint, 11 years), and Hillsdale.
Darrel Bosworth has been appointed senior pastor of Sunfield UB church (Sunfield, Mich.) effective April 2, 2018. He began his ministry at Sunfield as associate pastor in 1999, was senior pastor of Kilpatrick UB church (Woodland, Mich.) 2002-2016, and for the past year has been interim pastor of McCallum UB church (Delton, Mich.).
Jerald Jones has been appointed pastor of McCallum UB church (Delton, Mich.) effective March 18, 2018.
Randy Carpenter (right) was hired as a staff pastor at Colwood UB church (Caro, Mich.) effective January 1, 2018. He was previously senior pastor of Sunfield UB church (Sunfield, Mich.). Colwood is using a team approach, with three persons–Mike Whipple, Kelly Ball, and Carpenter–listed as teaching pastors. Each also carries other areas of responsibility. For Carpenter, the website lists assimilation and discipleship.
Bishop William Dillon (right) died of pneumonia on December 15, 1919. He served just one term as bishop, 1893-1897. Most of his career was spent in the pastorate and as editor of The Christian Conservator paper.
W. H. Clay described Dillon as having “no sympathy with peace at the expense of principle or uprightness.” He seemed to find, attract, or even pursue controversy. The fact that he would get elected to something, but not re-elected, indicates something or other.
Dillon grew up in Ohio with seven siblings. His father, of British descent, died when he was 14, and his Welsh mother died when he was 28. Dillon was converted at age 16 and pursued the ministry. He was assigned to his first circuit in 1861, and was ordained in 1864 (his first three circuit, curiously, were the Russia Circuit, the Troy Circuit, and the Berlin Circuit). In 1866, he married Bessie, the granddaughter of former bishop Joseph Hoffman. They were married 52 years.
In 1871, at age 30, Dillon enrolled in the first class of our first seminary, Union Biblical Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. He was part of the first graduating class in 1874. In 1877, he was assigned to the prestigious Summit Street UB church in Dayton, the largest and most influential church in the conference.
Dillon became aligned with Milton Wright in opposing efforts to open membership to Freemasons and adopt a new Constitution and Confession of Faith, and became a leader of the “radicals” (the UBs of today). When the radicals launched their alternative church paper, The Christian Conservator, Dillon was the editor. It was published out of his home starting in July 1885.
Dillon helped organize a convention in August 1885 which attracted about 80 people to Hartsville College in southern Indiana. The purpose was to rally support against the “liberal” proposals. They elected Dillon as their chairman.
Of course, the proposals went through. Dillon joined Milton Wright in leaving the denomination and starting over. Dillon received a few votes for bishop, but four other men were elected. As a consolation prize, he was elected to continue as editor of The Christian Conservator, which was now the denominational publication.
Henry Becker was elected bishop of the Pacific District in 1893, but promptly resigned, and Dillon was elected in his place. But Dillon was defeated for re-election in 1897 by Henry Barkley, and by a significant vote, 37-10. General Conference then elected Dillon, again, as editor of The Christian Conservator. But after four years, he lost re-election as editor.
Dillon returned to the pastorate, while also becoming a major supporter of Milton Wright in a nasty controversy involving the publishing house. He once again organized a convention, this one in support of Wright, whose side prevailed at the 1905 General Conference. Wright then faded into retirement.
In 1911, Dillon was elected to a third stint as editor of the Christian Conservator…on the 40th ballot. He continued in that role until 1917. Then he and Bessie retired to their daughter’s home in Springfield, Ohio. He died there in 1919 at age 78, and Bessie lived another 16 years, until 1935.
L-r: Jim Pryor, Josh and Julie McKeown, Gary VanderVeen, Jason Garwood, John Authenreith, David Dakin, Andrew Atkins.
Pastoral Changes
Ordinations
Bishop Todd Fetters ordained nine persons during the closing service of National Conference on July 15. Those persons were Jeff Dice, David Grove, Jason Haupert, Stuart Johns, Matt Kennedy, Gener Lascase, Brent Liechty, and John Shadle. That was previously reported here.
Bishop Fetters has also conducted these ordinations.
Wesley Skiles (right) has been appointed senior pastor of Olive Branch UB church (Lakeville, Ind.) effective January 15, 2017. He holds a provisional ministerial license.
Skiles graduated from Asbury College in 2001, and is currently pursuing a masters degree at Huntington University. He has served in ministry since 2001, including 2011-2014 as associate pastor of youth at Heart O the Lakes UB church (Brooklyn, Mich.). He and his wife, Tracey, have three children.
