22 Jan Ordinations: Thom Redmond and Dan VanArsdalen

Bishop Whipple (right) with Dan and Deborah VanArsdalen.

Bishop Phil Whipple (right) with Thom and Michelle Redmond.

Bishop Phil Whipple conducted two ordinations recently.

• On December 9, Thom Redmond, associate pastor of Crestview UB church (Lafayette, Ind.), was ordained at Crestview. He has served at Crestview since September 2011. Thom holds a History degree from the University of Miami (1985), a Masters in Journalism from Regent University (1992), and a Master of Divinity from Winebrenner Theological Seminary (2004).
• On January 20, Dan VanArsdalen was ordained at Alvordton UB church (Alvordton, Ohio). He has been senior pastor at Alvordton since November 2010.

18 Jan Heart Surgery for Rev. Don Bender

Greg Helman, pastor of Blue Rock UB church (Waynesboro, Pa.), sent this note:

“Retired minister Rev. Don Bender had a mild heart attack in South Carolina while visiting with family on Monday, January 14. He had quadruple bypass surgery yesterday, January 17. He went through the surgery well, but will have a significant recovery period. Please pray for him and his wife, Shirley.”

15 Jan Another Five Months in Qatar for Crystal Carpenter

Randy and Crystal Carpenter

Randy Carpenter, pastor of Sunfield UB church (Sunfield, Mich.), attended the Cluster Leader Training in January 14, 2013. In June 2012, Randy’s wife, Crystal, was deployed to Qatar with the 323rd Military Police Company of the Army National Guard, of which she has been a member for about seven years. She is an administration sergeant in Spec Ops.

Randy says he is able to communicate with Crystal, either live or by email, nearly every day. She is helping to lead a worship team for military personnel, and plays volleyball and football when she gets the chance.

How’s he handling Crystal’s absence? “The first month it’s okay, but after that it nosedives. My kids are in college, except for the youngest, so it’s mostly just me rolling around the house.” But he’s managing. Crystal, he says, will “supposedly” return in May.

03 Jan Retirement of Jerry Drummond

Lee Rhodes (right) with Jerry and Margie Drummond.

Jerry Drummond, senior pastor of East Washington UB church (Ashley, Mich.), was presented a retirement pin on December 16 from Lee Rhodes, the church’s cluster leader. Jerry and Margie Drummond, a schoolteacher, have served at East Washington since 1993.

Drummond’s successor is Jeff Reser, who served as associate pastor at East Washington throughout 2012.

02 Jan Update on Rocky Layne

Adam Will reports that his father-in-law, Rocky Layne, is out of ICU, and is alert and talking. Rocky, pastor of two UB churches in southern Ohio, was in a four-wheeler accident on December 29 and had emergency surgery to remove a blood clot in his brain.

Adam writes, “The swelling in his brain continues to go down, and now we wait and see how soon he can recover.” While Rocky recovers, Adam will fill in at West Pleasant Hill UB church in Rockbridge, Ohio.

Pastor Layne can be contacted at:

Allen Rocky Layne
5868 Pen Rd.
Junction City, OH 43748

7:55 pm update: Rev. Al Carter, pastor of First UB in Columbus, Ohio, wrote: “Rev. Allen Rocky Layne continues to recover at Grant Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio. He expresses gratitude for the prayers on behalf of him and his family. He is speaking to all who enter his room. He has made it clear to everyone in the hospital that he will be presenting them to God for a blessing for all they have done for him. There are many miraculous things that have happened to this point in his recovery. I will not steal his thunder, but let him relate it to you as he improves.”

02 Jan Linda Carter Suffers Mild Stroke

Linda Carter (right), wife of Al Carter, senior pastor of First UB Church (Columbus, Ohio), suffered a mild stroke on December 26, 2012. At the time, they were visiting relatives in Hillsdale, Mich. She woke up with speech and balance problems, and went to the local hospital to be checked out.

Linda was discharged from the hospital the next day, and they are now back in Columbus. Al reports that Linda is bouncing back well and getting stronger. While in Hillsdale, they met and were ministered to by several people from New Hope UB church in nearby Camden, Mich.

Linda’s address is: 711 Westfall Court, Columbus OH 43228.

29 Dec Rocky Lane in Four-Wheeler Accident

Bishop Phil Whipple sent this note late Saturday night, December 29.

“I received a phone call from Adam Will concerning his father-in-law, Rocky Layne (right). Rocky was in a 4-wheeler accident around noon today. He has had emergency surgery to remove a blood clot in his brain. He is still in critical condition. Rocky pastors West Pleasant Hill UB church in Rockbridge, Ohio, and is planting Eternal Water UB Church in Carroll, Ohio.”

Rocky, according to Adam, sustained serious injuries to his face and skull.