04 Oct Sam Quinn Facing Brain Surgery on Monday

Sam Quinn, superintendent of the United Believers in Christ (the former United Brethren churches in California that withdrew in 2005), will undergo brain surgery on Monday, October 6.

An MRI showed a small tumor, and which contains an aggressive cancer. It is operable and accessible.

Burney Fix, a minister in California who works alongside Sam, says, “It appears that the tumor has caused some interference in Sam’s short-term memory functions. Otherwise, he feels perfectly healthy and physically normal. He is expected to be in the hospital 3-4 days.”

Please remember Sam in your prayers.

01 Oct 50 Years in the Pastorate

On September 28, Bob Staup celebrated 50 years in the pastorate. He started pastoring in 1958. He is currently pastor of Mt. Pleasant UB church in Angola, Ind. He previously served these churches:

• Indiana: Union Chapel (Fort Wayne), South Scipio (Harlan), Hudson (Hudson), Corunna (Corunna).
• Ohio: Nettle Lake and Mt. Pleasant.

The congregation held a surprise celebration for Bob and his wife, Joann. Writes Devon Strine, “The church was full with family and friends from the various churches he has served. Testimonies were shared from Bobs ministry and lives that were touched for God. There were specials, and cards in honor of his 50 yrs. It was a complete surprise to both Bob and his wife Joan seeing old friends from years past.”

30 Sep Three Health Reports

A few notes on some UB people.

• Wardena Waldfogel, wife of Bishop Emeritus Raymond Waldfogel, spent 17 days in St. Joseph Hospital in Fort Wayne, Ind. She came home on Friday, September 26, but was taken back to the hospital yesterday, suffering from low blood pressure problems and dehydration.
• Pam Jones, wife of Healthy Church Ministries Director Pat Jones, suffered burns in one eye last week. Nearly one-third of her cornea was burned off, but it appears to be regenerating. Pray that that will happen.
• It’s been two months since Polly Dunten‘s brain surgery. On Sunday, September 28, “Something happened that was just wonderful,” wrote her husband, Darwin, on Polly’s Blog. “Polly accompanied the main piano with the Clavinova during the first service at church Sunday. Then in the second service she sang her first special music since the surgery. Now, she is not quite 100% yet (maybe 90%), but we are still thankful. Sunday she also stole the keys to the car and drove to church. (I guess we will just have to nail her feet to the floor.)”

12 Sep Pastor Diagnosed with Bone Marrow Cancer

George Rhodifer (right) learned today that he has bone marrow cancer. A doctor told him he has three months to live. George, a longtime ordained minister in our denomination, is pastor of Olivet UB church in New Lebanon, Ohio. He is also a cluster leader.

George says:

“My blood count has been low for several months and they could not find a reason for it. They sent me to a blood doctor and she wanted to do a test on the bone morrow which makes blood. She read the report to us today in her office. It seems that I have bone morrow cancer–leukemia of the bone morrow. She told my wife and I that I have about three months to live. With low-dose chemotherapy, I could possibly live six months, but that is not a guarantee.

“This came as a complete surprise to us. I have a pinched nerve in my back which has affected my right side. I was getting ready to go on pain management, but the doctor told me I may as well cancel that and just take pain medicine.”

Please remember George in your prayers. You can contact George by email or by writing to:

George Rhodifer
109 Solar Drive
Tipp City, OH 45371

12 Sep George Rhodifer: Diagnosed with Bone Marrow Cancer

Pat Jones, Director of Healthy Church Ministries

George Rhodifer (right) is one of my cluster leaders. In addition to pastoring the Olivet UB church in New Lebanon, Ohio, he leads a cluster of churches located in Ohio and Indiana. I’ve appreciated working with him over the past three years.

Today, George was told that he has bone marrow cancer. He’s been given three months to live. He sent me an email about this a short time ago.

“My blood count has been low for several months and they could not find a reason for it,” George wrote. “They sent me to a blood doctor and she wanted to do a test on the bone morrow which makes blood. She read the report to us today in her office. It seems that I have bone morrow cancer–luekemia of the bone morrow. She told my wife and I that I have about three months to live. With low-dose chemotherarpy, I could possibly live six months, but that is not a guarentee.

“This came as a complete surprise to us. I have a pinched nerve in my back which has affected my right side. I was getting ready to go on pain management, but the doctor told me I may as well cancel that and just take pain medicine.”

George asked that we remember him in prayer, and he states, “I believe that God is able to touch me and take care of the problem.”

You can contact George by writing to:

George Rhodifer
109 Solar Drive
Tipp City, OH 45371

08 Sep Wardena Waldfogel Undergoes Surgery

Wardena Waldfogel, the wife of Bishop Emeritus Raymond Waldfogel, just came out of surgery on her carotid arteries. The doctor was optimistic about how things went. She’ll be going home within a day or two. Please pray for her continued healing.

The Waldfogels live at 2002 North Avenue, Huntington, IN 46750.

08 Sep Wardena Waldfogel Undergoes Surgery

Bishop Ron Ramsey just called from St. Joseph Hospital in Fort Wayne, Ind. He went there to visit Wardena Waldfogel, wife of Bishop Emeritus Raymond Waldfogel. Wardena had just come out of surgery on her carotid arteries. 

Bishop Ramsey says they were optimistic about how things went. She’ll be going home within a day or two. He asks that you pray for Wardena’s continued healing.

Bishop Ramsey once had Bishop and Mrs. Waldfogel as parishioners. During the 1970s, he pastored the United Brethren church in Sacramento, Calif. Back then, bishops lived on their districts. Bishop Waldfogel was bishop of the West District, and lived in Sacramento, where he attended Ron Ramsey’s church.

The Waldfogels live at 2002 North Avenue, Huntington, IN 46750.

06 Sep The Polly Dunten Story Goes National…Sort Of

ABCNews used some video of Polly Dunten and her daughters in a music montage. The video shows the three sitting on Polly’s hospital bed holding up the words “The Tumor is Gone,” and then the daughters kiss Polly. Previous posts have talked about Polly’s July 28 surgery to remove a brain tumor.)

It just lasts a few seconds. You first must suffer through a short commercial for a dishwasher. Then the music segment starts (Irma Thomas singing the pleasant “River Waiting”). The clip of Polly is about mid-way through.

06 Sep Lee Hiney Concludes 20 Years

In case you missed the note on the UB News page: Last Sunday, Lee Hiney concluded 20 years as pastor of Mt. Zion UB church in Wayne, Ohio. Mt. Zion church is now seeking a new senior pastor.