12 May Death of Darwin Dunten’s Father

Darwin Dunten, pastor of Findlay First UB church (Findlay, Ohio), is mourning the passing of his father. David Dunten passed away Monday evening, May 10, after a long battle with Lewy Body disease.

Visitation: Thursday, May 13, 2-5 pm and 7-9 pm.
Visitation Location: DO McComb Pine Valley, 1320 East Dupont Rd., Fort Wayne, Ind.
Funeral: 10 am Friday, May 14.
Funeral Location: New Haven United Methodist church, New Haven, Ind.

11 May Mike Brown–Grand Marshall, Superfan

Mike Brown as Superfan

Mike Brown, senior pastor of Franklin UB church (New Albany, Ohio), has been named Grand Marshall of the 2010 New Albany Founders Day celebration, which starts with a parade on Saturday, May 15. He was nominated multiple times.

Mike has pastored Franklin UB since 1989, and is well-known in the community. He is the current president of the New Albany Ministerial Association, and a member of the New Albany Business Association and the Chamber of Commerce. He also coached both boys and girls soccer at the New Albany Middle School for 16 years (1989-2005).

Mike is also known as “Superfan,” a fixture at local sporting events. He did that for ten years, 1999-2009.

It started with a dare. If his youth brought 100 students to “Fifth Quarter” activities at the church after a high school football game, he would dress in a fan costume for the next game. They did, and he did. And it turned into a regular gig, showing up at games wearing a New Albany football jersey, a maroon and gold cape, and a gold wig.

Superfan’s signature moves were holding up handcrafted signs with funny and sometimes controversial messages. He also threw gum into the crowd. Visitors didn’t always appreciate Superfan. At a home game in 2007, visitors threw gum back at him. At a playoff game in 2004, an opposing fan shoved Superfan and followed him back to the New Albany sideline; Mike had to get a policeman involved.

For the role, he adopted an alter ego, and tried to keep his true identity a secret–though he did preach once as Superfan.

He retired Superfan on October 23, 2009, the year’s last home football game (which they won, 42-21).

“I had two herniated disks,” Brown explained. “I just can’t jump the two or three steps without it hurting. If I can’t do it at 100 percent, then I don’t want to do it.”

He also suffered bouts of heart arrhythmia. Two days after participating as Superfan in a July 4 parade, doctors had to shock his heart back into normal pace.

“I hoped it would be fun that one time, and it became more fun than I ever dreamed of,” Mike said upon retiring Superfan in 2009.

And now, he’s grand marshal.

“Honestly, my first reaction was shock,” Brown said. “It was really hard to believe. In all my years here, it is no doubt my biggest surprise….For years, I was not able to attend the parade due to middle school soccer tournaments on Founders Day. I guess this year I won’t miss the parade.”

10 May Five UB Senior Pastors Begin CECL Training

This year senior pastors were given the option, in place of regular cluster meetings, of taking training through the Center for Excellence in Congregational Leadership. This is a demanding two-year program.

A group of five UB pastors will begin the training today. They are now on their way to Green Lakes, Wiss., for the first of five classes they will attend over the next two years. The sessions begin tonight (May 10) and continue all week on the subject “Personal and Pastoral Integrity: The Key to Sustaining Pastoral Excellence.”

The five pastors are:

• Josh Kesler (The Well, Huntington, Ind.).
• Gary Dilley (College Park Church, Huntington, Ind.).
• Gary Reiber (Union Chapel, Fort Wayne, Ind.).
• Les Smith (Hillsdale UB, Hillsdale, Mich.).
• Steve Fish (Shoreline Church, Oak Harbor, Ohio).

04 May Gary Gates Takes on New Denominational Role

On May 3, Gary Gates (right), pastor of South Scipio UB church (Harlan, Ind.), began serving one day a week as the denominational Director of Ministerial Licenses.

Previously, most UB ministers were educated through Huntington University. The university then dealt with courses to take, transcripts, and everything else needed to keep the person on track for their licensing and ordination requirements.

Since Huntington University is discontinuing the pastoral track of the graduate program this summer, a lot of responsibility will fall back to the denomination.

The Pastoral Ministry Leadership Team revised the licensing and ordination requirements to include a list of up to 25 core courses, which ministers can obtain from various places. The Director of Ministerial Licenses will monitor and give direction to UB men and women as they work toward licensing.

Gary’s responsibilities will include:

1. Help licentiates through the license and ordination process.
2. Evaluate schools and courses against the core topics necessary for national conference license and ordination.
3. Evaluate transcripts in a timely manner and communicate with candidates.
4. Serve as a liaison between the Bishop and the Pastoral Ministry Leadership Team.
5. Serve as an advisory member of the Pastoral Ministry Leadership Team.
6. Recruit instructors to develop the courses that are not readily available through colleges.

Gary will spend Mondays in the Healthy Ministry Resources office. He can be contacted in these ways:

Phone: 1-888-622-3019 (toll-free)
Email: gary@ub.org

29 Apr Ron Ramsey Joins Emmanuel Staff

On April 12, former bishop Ron Ramsey began a new role as a member of the staff at Emmanuel Community Church (Fort Wayne, Ind.). He stopped by the Healthy Ministry Resources office to mention some of his responsibilities from what he describes as a still-evolving job description.

• Lead some portion of the worship service periodically–announcements, prayer, etc. Talk to people at altar.
• Preach a couple times a year.
• Teach GROW Discipleship classes. He’s been substituting for GROW teachers, but in the fall will probably start his own class.
• Do pastoral care: contact visitors and regular members, some hospital visitation, a little counseling.
• Participate in a mission trip at least once every two years (a requirement of all Emmanuel staff).
• Make contacts with cluster leaders. Senior pastor Denny Miller works one day a week as the denominational Cluster Coordinator. Bishop Ramsey says, “I’m really excited that I’ll work with Denny to contact cluster leaders. Bishop C. Ray Miller has been given half the list, I’ve been given half the list. We’ll call the cluster leader once a month and see how things are going, what’s happening in their lives, areas we can serve, needs they have, etc.”

Since leaving the bishop’s office last August, Ron has been speaking frequently in UB churches. He will remain free to do that occasionally.

29 Apr Update on Robert Shellhouse

Robert Shellhouse, a retired minister in Michigan, was taken to the hospital last week with what appeared to be a stroke. He sent this update on his health:

First of all, thank you for all your calls, cards, prayers, thoughts, and visits.  We greatly appreciate each one of you.

Monday, I had a follow-up appointment with Dr. Gilbert. Other than my blood pressure being slightly elevated, I was coming along fine. I will not be able to drive for another week (per doctor’s orders), then slowly get back to it.

Today, I saw a speech therapist in Whitehall, Mich. She gave me some new strengthening exercises to work on as well as some eating instructions, i.e., one bite, two swallows. I will be having therapy twice a week for a couple of weeks, then back in a month for another throat xray. Singing is another exercise that will help strengthen my vocal chords and aid in swallowing. Maybe once my vocal chords are all “tuned up,” you will allow me to be in the choir!”