29 Jun Bishop Ray Seilhamer Takes Two-Year Interim Assignment

Bishop Emeritus Ray Seilhamer (right, with his wife, Ruth) has been appointed to a two-year term as interim pastor of Mount Pleasant UB church in Chambersburg, Pa. The effective date is August 1. Chris Little, who had been senior pastor of Mount Pleasant since 2001, died suddenly and unexpectedly on April 19, 2016, at age 51.

Since 2004, Ray Seilhamer has been senior pastor of New Hope UB church in Huntington, Ind. His associate pastor since July 2015, Amos Rawley, will become senior pastor of New Hope.

29 Jun Update on Pastor Steve Henry

As reported on June 15, Steve Henry, pastor of Victory Heights UB church (Franklin, Pa.), has been hospitalized since May 27. He had surgery on Friday, June 24, and the ventilator was removed on Sunday. Steve’s wife, Amanda, sent this report on June 28:

“I am so excited!!!! Steve was greatly improved when I saw him today. Not himself yet, but a lot better than Sunday. It seems Steve’s anxiety issue has passed as far as I can tell for now. But really, who wouldn’t be stir crazy after being in the ICU for a month.

“They have him in a chair doing ‘therapy’ as much as he can stay awake. Stacking cans, folding washcloths, and working on swallowing to strengthen his throat. The speech therapist said he is definitely swallowing but isn’t getting the flap completely sealed over his windpipe to the lungs to keep the liquids out of the lungs. She gave him a list of exercises to strengthen his throat muscles.

“They started his Heparin IV again because we need him on blood thinner so the artificial heart valve he has doesn’t have a clot form. That would cause a whole new set of issues. Please pray he doesn’t end up with any new bleeding ulcers. His Heparin has made those an issue. It seems we are on the road to recovery. Praise the Lord!!!”

Amanda posts updates on Facebook. You can post your prayer and support there, or send notes to:

Steve and Amanda Henry
5978 US 322
Franklin, PA 16323

15 Jun Pastor Steve Henry in ICU

Steve Henry, pastor of the Victory Heights UB church (Franklin, Pa.) has been hospitalized for nearly three weeks with some serious health issues. On May 27, he was life-flighted to Pittsburgh. He has an aortic dissection–a tear on the inside wall of his aorta. He remains in the ICU.

It has been a very rocky road. On June 2, Steve’s wife, Amanda, reported that they had found an infection in Steve’s lungs which indicated a form of pneumonia. He is kept sedated much of the time, and has been on a ventilator and pain medication. There has also been bleeding, and more recently, an ulcer was found in his small intestines.

Steve has Marfan Syndrome, and in the past has had four heart-aneurysm surgeries. Amanda has been told that although Steve is slowly improving, they have a very long road ahead of them.

Amanda posts updates on a Facebook page. You can post your prayer and support there, or send notes to:

Steve and Amanda Henry
5978 US 322
Franklin, PA 16323

26 Apr Cyle Young Assigned to Heart O’ the Lakes

Kathy Maybee, Heart O’ the Lakes UB church (Brooklyn, Mich.)

We are excited to introduce Pastor Cyle Young (right) as the new Lead Pastor at Heart O’ the Lakes Church. Cyle and his wife Patty have three children; Carver (9), Cyleigh-Anne (7), and Carrick (4). Cyle will be with us on May 1 and his family will join him here on May 8. They have secured housing and are working through the process of making the move from Springfield, Ohio.

Cyle is an ordained minister with over 16 years of fulltime ministry experience. He holds a B.A. in Religious Studies from the University of Michigan where he graduated with honors, and was a four-year student athlete. He has an M.A. in Christian Leadership from Liberty University, and an M.R.E. in Religious Education from Liberty University. Cyle and his wife Patty have authored several books, and Cyle has been a keynote speaker at many conferences, colleges and universities.

Cyle previously served as Executive Pastor of Family and Sports in a large multi-campus church. He also served as Pastor of Children, Students, and Sports in a church of 1,400. He was an Executive Pastor of Youth and Family, and the Lead Pastor for an inner-city church plant. Cyle has led mission trips, managed multiple staff and volunteers, and even plays bass guitar.

We are excited to welcome Cyle and his family to Heart O’ the Lakes Church. May God truly bless them as they join our family at Heart O’ the Lakes Church.

20 Apr Unexpected Death of Pastor Chris Little

Chris and Keri Little

Chris Little, senior pastor of Mt. Pleasant UB church (Chambersburg, Pa.), died suddenly and unexpectedly on Tuesday, April 19. His son, Christopher, found him unconscious and unresponsive in the garden. He was taken to the hospital and was pronounced dead at 6 pm. Chris was 51 years old.

His wife, Keri, was on her way to Pittsburgh for a mission conference with ladies from the church. She returned to join their children, Samantha, Tabitha, and Christopher at the hospital.

Chris and Keri were married in 1988 and raised three children, all of whom are now adults. He began his ministry in 1996 as associate pastor of Mt. Pleasant UB church. Chris was ordained in 2000, and became senior pastor in October 2001. Today, Mt. Pleasant has an attendance of 350 and a multiple staff, including son Christopher, who is Pastor of Outreach and Assimilation.

In addition to his role as a pastor, Chris provided leadership to the denomination as a cluster leader and member of the Pastoral Ministry Leadership Team. In those ways, he invested in the spiritual health and vitality of pastors and in their preparation for ministry.

“This devastating news will affect many, many people,” wrote Bishop Todd Fetters. “I, for one, am grateful to the Littles for their sacrificial and faithful service to the UB church. Keri told me, ‘Chris loved being a UB pastor.’”

Please keep the Little family and the Mount Pleasant congregation in your prayers.

Cards can be sent to Keri and Christopher at the church:

2509 Black Gap Road
Chambersburg, PA 17202

28 Mar Tim Hallman Accepts Position with the YMCA

Left: Tim and Tara Hallman. Right: Tim speaking on Palm Sunday.

Members of the Anchor congregation gather around the Hallman family for a prayer time on Palm Sunday.

Tim Hallman resigned as senior pastor of Anchor Community Church (Fort Wayne, Ind.) to accept a position with the Greater Fort Wayne YMCA. He had pastored Anchor since 1998, when it began as a restart of the former Third Street UB church. He headed a core group from Emmanuel Community Church which launched services in October 1998. In more recent years, he has been a cluster leader and member of the denominational Executive Leadership Team.

Tim submitted his resignation on March 10, having accepted a new position with the YMCA as Director of Christian Emphasis. He wrote, “They have hired me to help strengthen their Christian culture and improve their collaboration with the community and churches in the city.”

Tim announced his resignation to the congregation on March 20 at the end of the service. A prayer time was held for Tim and Tara and their four children, with many members of the congregation gathering around them at the front of the church. Sunday, April 3, will be Tim’s last Sunday at Anchor. He begins his work with the YMCA on April 11.

09 Feb A Better Way to be Evangelical

Anthony Blair (right), a UB ordained minister and president of Evangelical Seminary in Myerstown, Pa., has a major article on the Christianity Today website titled, “A Better Way to be Evangelical.” It’s been getting some good attention. Take a look.