07 Mar Pray for Haiti

We received the following note from our friends in the Canadian UB Conference with an update on the unrest in Haiti. As you read this, we invite you to join us in prayer that the hearts of the people would turn toward peace and restoration.

“Social order continues to deteriorate in Haiti. This past weekend, gangs took over several police locations and two jails. This is not far from where some UB churches are. It was a very violent takeover that left many dead; thankfully no UB members were killed. 

A local UB shared this: 

Things are very bad, I have never witnessed this kind of escalation during this 5 year crisis. The streets are now 10× more unsafe due to more than 4,000 convicts that are roaming the streets of the capital and probably the countryside by now.

The streets are empty, there’s been lots of gunshots echoing in every neighborhood within the capital.

Many police stations have been attacked, things are completely out of control.

Let us cry out in prayer for Haiti. A mighty move of God is needed to see things restored. Our friends in Haiti are hurting but it does comfort them to know we are praying.”

05 Mar Getting Ready for the Ministry Leader Summit

The Ministry Leader Summit returns to Daytona Beach, April 29 through May 3. This event offers opportunities for associate staff serving in United Brethren churches to pull away, slow down, and be refreshed. This year Dr. Terry Linhart (Bethel University, Arbor Research Group) will join us to share some insights from his book, The Self-Aware Leader.

Click here to learn more about the event and how you can register.

18 Jan Just Released: UB Now, A Podcast to Connect and Resource Church Leaders

We have just released the first two episodes of a new podcast called UB Now featuring stories of what’s happening right now in local UB churches around the country. Episodes consist of interviews with local church pastors and ministry leaders discussing both the exciting things the Lord is doing in their midst as well as the challenging issues they may be facing.

Episode 1 features Ryan Koch (Hopewell UB), sharing his vision for strategic partnerships and relationally-centered ministries. In episode 2, you will hear from Ben Gladhill (Lake View Church) about the value of investing in people and empowering leaders.

Our hope is that these stories, and many more to come, might serve as a point of connection for church leaders walking through similar situations as well as a way for us  to resource, encourage and learn from one another.

You can listen to UB Now online or on your favorite podcast app. New episodes will be released every 2 weeks. If you have a story you would love to share on the podcast reach out to Brian Biedenbach, Communications Director, via email at [email protected].

07 Nov Registration Closing Soon

The United Brethren Church history course is fast approaching and registration will be closing soon. The course, which will be held via Zoom, will take place November 27-28 from 9am to 4pm. Registration closes on Monday, November 13.

Click here to learn more about this course and complete your registration.

13 Oct Death of Pastor Oliam Richard

Pastor Richard (left) with UB Haiti Superintendent Supreme (right)

We received word that Pastor Oliam Richard passed away on Sunday night. He was with his family in Paris. In an official announcement of his passing, Matt Robertshaw, the Global Outreach Director from the UB Church in Canada had this to say:

Pastor Richard was born in Haiti and studied theology in Jamaica before working with the Salvation Army in the United States. By 2000 he was leading a small evangelical denomination with churches in Paris and in Haiti. He connected with UB bishop Ray Seilhamer and joined the international United Brethren church. He served as superintendent of the United Brethren church in Haiti for 19 years. 

In the last few years he has spent time in Haiti and with his family in France, and continued to be involved with churches in both countries. He will be missed by many in Haiti, North America, France and beyond.

Services will be held in his honour in Paris on the 26th and 27th of October.

The family and communities in grief would appreciate your prayers.

Let’s join our brothers and sisters around the world in prayer for Pastor Richard’s family. Let’s also join in celebrating his life and the impact he made for the Kingdom.

26 Sep Design Your Own T-Shirt

This is your chance to put your graphic design skills on display. We are looking for the best design for a new shirt on the UB Merch Store using the slogan, “Frontier from the Beginning,” a phrase coined by Frank Yang, Director of UB Global, during his address at National Conference. There have been a couple early attempts at a new design, but thankfully wiser heads prevailed and a decision was made to invite other, more design-minded individuals into the process.

We know you are out there and we are inviting you to submit your design(s) for the Frontier from the Beginning t-shirt design contest. You have until October 20, 2023 to submit your unique design(s) to ub.org/frontier. The winning design will be announced the following week, and soon after, made available for purchase in the new UB Merch store. The winning designer will receive a shirt with their design and $50 to spend in the store.

To learn more about the contest rules and how you can enter, visit ub.org/frontier.

If you would like more information about what Frontier from the Beginning really means as well as some inspiration to get you started, watch this short explainer video.