01 May Gary Small Having Back Surgery

Gary Small, pastor of Atlantic Avenue UB church in Franklin, Pa., will undergo back surgery on May 9. Your prayers are appreciated.

03 Apr New Licenses and Ordinations

On March 30, while conducting services at Avlon UB in Junction City, Ohio, Bishop Ron Ramsey:

• Ordained Peter Martindale, the pastor of Mount Hermon UB church in Pomeroy, Ohio.
• Granted a national conference license to Jason Sheets, associate pastor of West Pleasant Hill UB (Rockbridge, Ohio).
• Granted a national conference license to Allen R. Layne.

Also coming up:

• Milt Herrold, Jr., senior pastor of Orrstown UB (Orrstown, Pa.), will be ordained on April 6 by Pat Jones, standing in for Bishop Ramsey.
• Art Page, pastor of Salem UB (Chambersburg, Pa.), will be ordained on April 20 by Bishop Emeritus Wilber Sites, Jr., standing in for Bishop Ramsey.

26 Mar Death of Betty Neeb

Jay Michaud of Pleasant Valley UB (Lake Odessa, Mich.) sent this item: “It may be of interest to some in the United Brethren church, and the former Michigan Conference in particular, that Betty Neeb of Clarksville, Mich., passed away on Monday, March 24. She was the wife of the late UB minister Max Ovenshire of Michigan Conference, and she was a member of Pleasant Valley UB church. Her funeral is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, March 27, at Pleasant Valley, 9975 Thompson Rd., Lake Odessa, Mich. 48849 (corner of M-50 and Bell Road). You may want to contact the church for more details and an obituary: (616) 693-2265.”

06 Mar Surgeries for Dick and Donelle Raab

Donelle Raab was diagnosed with a cancerous tumor on her spinal column in early January, and began radiation treatments. Yesterday, March 5, she underwent thyroid surgery. Her husband, Dick, sent this report:

“The doctor said that it would take 2.5-3 hours, but at the end of the 2.5 hours, a nurse came out to tell me it was more involved than what he had thought. At the end of four hours, he was done and came out to talk to me. He said that the tumor was attached in a different way and that it also was around the right nerve to the voice box. He said that he had to work around that situation and so it took longer to do the surgery. When finished, he tested both of the nerves to the voice box and they both responded well. Praise the Lord! She will probably be in the Hospital (Butterworth) until Friday and will then come home to recoup.”

Dick is battling cancer, too. He went for a CT of his lungs yesterday. “The doctor said that if the cancer in my left thigh (sarcoma) had spread, it would first go to the lungs. I am praying that they will be okay. Surgery is scheduled for March 21. He will take the tumor, some of the muscle, and some lymph nodes. I will probably need radiation plus physical therapy before I am up and running again. Then May 2 has been set for the surgery on my neck to take care of the pinched nerve.

“I will be so glad to have these surgeries and then hopefully begin to feel better by not having the pain and numbness that has been a part of everyday since December 11.”

Dick and Donnelle served 42 years in the pastoral ministry, retiring in January 2007 from their last pastorate, Richfield Road UB church in Flint, Mich. Donelle holds a Specialized Ministries license, and until the end of 2007 was a member of the denominational Women’s Ministry Team. They now live in at 1914 Jack Pine Court, Dorr, MI 49323.

06 Mar Death of Mary Diamond

Mary Diamond, the wife of former UB minister Elmer Diamond, passed away February 23.

20 Feb Death of Rev. Ora D. Lovell

Dr. Ora D. Lovell, 93, a longtime minister in the UB church, passed away February 19 in Circleville, Ohio. Here are the funeral arrangements:

• Location: Wellman’s Funeral Home, 1455 N. Court St., Circleville, Ohio.
• Viewing: Thursday, February 21, 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m.
• Funeral: 11 a.m. Friday, February 22, at Wellman’s.