18 Jun Death of Mert Lahr

Some of you may remember Phyllis Lahr, who was executive secretary for nearly 20 years to bishops C. Ray Miller, Wilber L. Sites, Clarence Kopp, and Ray Seilhamer. Phyllis’s husband, Mert, passed away June 8, and the funeral was held last Friday. They had been married since 1963.

Mert had been in a nursing home in Markle, Ind., but Phyllis wasn’t content with the care he was receiving. So she sold their home in Markle, bought a place in Fort Wayne, and moved Mert into this new home where she could take care of him herself. That’s what she did for the past several years.

17 Jun As a Child Thinketh….

At Corunna UB, the church my husband Jason pastors, we started Vacation Bible School last night. I am co-teaching with another person.

During the lesson, as I talked about what sin is, I asked the young children, “How many of you have never sinned?”

One little five-year-old girl shot her hand up.

“You’ve never sinned?” I asked her.

She answered, “I’ve been naughty, but I’ve never sinned.”

16 Jun A Long Way to Travel for Babysitting

Jeff Bleijerveld was in Macau last week, visiting our missionaries, and he spent some time at the home of David and Melissa Kline. Dave Kline sent the above photo, showing Jeff with the Kline kids, with this subject line: “The work of Jeff Bleijerveld in Macau. There was some other stuff, too.”

15 Jun Praying for the Bikers

Andrew Atkins, pastor of Monticello UB (Spencerville, Ohio), sent us this testimony. It happened on Saturday night, June 6, after the evening service at the US National Conference. Andrew said we could publish the story, but emphasized, “I just want to make sure that the focus is about the fact that God provides opportunity when we are obedient to Him.”

My wife and I arrived back at our hotel around 11 pm, and in the parking lot were the “Bikers.” There were guys doing burnouts, drinking, and basically kickin back. As I walked back to my van to get some pop that I had forgotten, God began to break my heart for these guys and ask me what I was willing to do to reach them with the Gospel.

I walked into our hotel room and told my wife that we needed to go out and bless some bikes.

About three years ago at Monticello, we started doing a Biker Sunday. At the end of the day we have guys pull through on their motorcylces and we pray for them to be safe and encourage them to follow Christ on the highway of life. I never realized how important that was to guys that ride, but because of our Biker Sundays, I have learned that.

So at about 11:15 pm, my wife and I headed into the parking lot to the first group of guys. I asked them if they had been prayed for, that they would ride safely. They said, “You mean, blessed? No, we haven’t had that yet.” I told them I was a pastor and I would love to do that for them.

Immediately they said, “That would be awesome, but go down there and ask those guys too!”

So in two separate locations, my wife and I watched bikers stand by and even kneel at their bikes as we prayed that God would keep them safe, and that they would know the joy that comes from riding with Christ as their Saviour. We went back to our hotel room knowing that the reason we were at National Conference during bike week was to reach out to those guys.

The following morning before the closing service, we went down to check out of our room. One guy that we prayed for was looking at the back tire of his bike; it was in pretty bad shape. I asked if it was rideable, and he said it was. Then, as I turned to walk away, he said, “Hey hold on.” Then a very big, bald biker came over and wrapped his arms around me and said, “Thanks so much for praying for us last night. We won’t forget it.”

11 Jun Holy Land Travel

During the Friday business meeting at National Conference, Dennis Miller introduced Anna Evenzahav, who has been arranging trips to the Holy Land for him and Emmanuel Community Church for many years. She works with Bible Lands & Reformation Group Travel. If you’re interested in contacting her, you can do so at:

Toll-free: 800-801-4795
Email: [email protected]

10 Jun 2009-2011 UB Discipline Online

The UB Discipline, with the changes made this past week during the US National Conference, has been updated online. The print version, which you’ll be able to download as a PDF file, will (hopefully) be available later next week. But for now, you can at least view the updated chapters on your screen.

We will not produce a printed version which you can purchase. We haven’t done that since the 2001-2005 edition. The only printed copy available will be the PDF version.

05 Jun National Conference Business Update

The US National Conference business session started at 8:00. Here is what has happened so far:

02 Jun A Few Thoughts Before XLR8 Begins

It is now 8:17 a.m. (EDT) in Huntington, Ind. The staff in the office has been in a “full court press” for some time now to get everything done for National Conference. Sometime this morning we will begin packing the trailer to bring all the necessary forms, reports, supplies, packets, name badges, agendas, sermon notes, computers, printers, posters, pens and probably a whole lot more I can’t think of right at this moment.

We are checking and double-checking to be sure we have everything we need. I have checked with the main speaker, Tim Brown and he is set to be with us. We have had an excellent registration of over 850 individuals.

The point is: we are almost ready to make the trip to Sawmill Creek Resort, Huron, Ohio, for National Conference 2009. I am excited. Thanks to all who have been planning and praying for this National Conference 2009.

Just some thoughts….

• I am surprised how fast these past four years have flown by!
• I am thankful for travel safety for all who have traveled these past four years!
• I am so grateful for the staff that God has placed in this building!
• I am blessed to think of all the new friends who have come into my life in these years!
• I am burdened for far too many of our churches that don’t “get it”!
• I am flabbergasted at those who don’t know what “IT” is!
• I have realized just how dependent on God I really am to do anything of worth!
• I have been amazed to find myself in this position!
• I am so thankful for the planning team that helped plan every detail of this National Conference 2009.
• I am really looking forward to worshipping with all of you this week!
• I am blessed to be trusting in The One who has my future in His hands!

Well, that’s it for this time. Hope to see you on Thursday. Drive careful ‘ya hear!

01 Jun 30 Years – Yeah, That’s a Long Time

They said they needed my camera in the break room. Something was going on, something apparently newsworthy. So I grabbed it and went in, and there sat an ice cream cake. And it was for…me?

Indeed. Bishop Ron Ramsey instructed that the occasion appear on the Bishopblog–whether I wrote it, or somebody else. Since I don’t trust any of my coworkers, I thought I better do the deed. Besides, everyone is crazy-busy with National Conference preparations.

The occasion: June 1 marks 30 years of working fulltime at the United Brethren national office. I actually started on June 1, 1978, after my junior year at Huntington University, but I didn’t go fulltime until graduating in 1979. Back then, my title was assistant editor. I worked on the monthly United Brethren magazine, edited a weekly Sunday school take-home paper, and did some work on the adult Sunday school quarterlies.

We discontinued the Sunday school curriculum in 1982 and closed the printshop. At that point, I became editor of the United Brethren magazine. And the position has evolved from there. I took the title Communications Director in 1993, when we centralized all of our communications. And from there, this and that has happened, yada yada yada, you’re really not that interested.

Along with the ice cream cake, my coworkers gave me a card (of sorts) with comments like these:

• Way to go! Your endurance is amazing.
• You are a great asset here. Old and musty, but still a good asset.
• People who stay in one place for so long usually are honored with a statue. Have you posed for yours yet?
• 30 years! Most marriages last less time than that!
• Congrats! Putting up with everyone who has come and gone. Wow!
• You must have started here at the office when you were a child!
• Wow! 30 years! You must be older than I thought!
• How many Macs or models of Macs have you had in those 30 years? [I think 7, plus 2 laptops.]
• Amazing! You have worked here almost my whole life!
• I know that cars are considered vintage or antique after 20 years, so….

Now you know why I thought I better write this.

It’s been a joy working here and serving our churches. I’ve never NOT attended a United Brethren church. I’ve basically ordered the entire UB menu: grew up UB in four different states, attended our camps, participated in Bible quizzing, UB preacher’s kid, graduated from our college, and have now spent my entire career in the service of my denomination. No regrets. Unless you count eating that too-big piece of ice cream cake this morning.

01 Jun Book About the Pelley Murders

A new book, “The Prom Night Murders,” tells about the 1989 murders of United Brethren minister Robert Pelley, his wife, and two young daughters. They were found shotgunned in the parsonage on Sunday morning, just after the local high school prom.

Rev. Pelley’s son from a previous marriage, Jeff, was convicted of the murders in 2006 (the result of a cold case investigation). The story is that Jeff was grounded from participating in prom weekend activities, and that led to the murders.

Jeff Pelley, 37, is serving a 160-year sentence. His conviction was reversed by a Court of Apopeals, but this spring the Indiana Supreme Court reversed the reversal.