After a national search, Huntington University has named Greg Smitley (right) as vice president for business and finance/treasurer. Smitley graduated from HU in 1980 with a degree in business administration, and later earned a master’s in business administration from Indiana Wesleyan University.

Smitley spent 33 yeas in the banking industry, most recently as COO for iAB Financial Bank and as president/CEO for MarkleBank. He is currently president/CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Northern Indiana.

Over the years, Smitley has served Huntington University in a variety of ways, including as president of the alumni board and membership on the board of trustees.

Participants with their certificates for completing the program.

Participants with their certificates for completing the program.

Juanita Chavez, superintendent of Honduras Conference, leading a training session for Honduran leaders.

Juanita Chavez, superintendent of Honduras Conference, leading a training session for Honduran leaders.

Amount Needed: $9,200

Honduras National Conference has embraced a model for discipleship and theological education that is church-based. The approach is non-formal, as opposed to institutional, and aims to train up leaders in the context of the local church.

Two years ago, they began with just a handful of leaders from La Ceiba. Now they are now expanding to establish new centers throughout the country. The materials were created by BILD (bild.org) of Ames, Iowa, a church-multiplication movement committed to placing the church at the center of every aspect of Christian ministry (evangelism, discipleship, missions, theological education, theology, etc.).

The Hondurans will have 150 participants in the program in 2014/15. The cost for the entire program during this period of time is $15,343. The greatest expense involves establish new centers in local churches. In the future, current participants will serve as trainers, thereby lowering the cost. Participants’ contributions will cover 40% of the expense. The conference has asked if we would assist them with the remaining 60%, which comes to $9200.

Interested in supporting this project?
Please send your gift to:

Global Ministries
302 Lake St.
Huntington, IN 46750

Please write the project code, HN001, on the memo line.

Frank Y (right), Associate Director of Global Ministries

Northern Thailand, the region where Global Ministries staff Bryan and Emily Gerlach are serving, experienced a 6.3 magnitude earthquake on Tuesday, May 6. Some structures were damaged, including the iconic white temple of Wat Rongkhun in Chiang Rai, their neighboring province. Thankfully, the Gerlachs are safe.

They wrote, “We are totally fine! We felt a little bit of the earthquake when it happened and were totally caught off-guard. We were at home in the evening when it happened and felt the whole house shake! It turns out the effects were really bad up in Chiang Rai. Several families in [a village we know] had their houses destroyed and are living in tents and/or makeshift shelters. Please pray for them.”

I also heard from Mark Choi, the former mission director of Hong Kong Conference. He says our three mountain churches in northern Thailand are safe, too.

Denis Casco, bishop of Mexico Conference, with a friend.

Denis Casco, bishop of Mexico Conference, with a friend.

A children's outreach by a UB church in Mexico.

A children’s outreach by a UB church in Mexico.

A children's outreach by a UB church in Mexico.

A children’s outreach by a UB church in Mexico.

Jeff Bleijerveld, Director of Global Ministries

It’s time for a Mexican Fiesta! That’s right. This summer we invite your children’s ministry to join us in supporting children’s outreach through our 48 United Brethren churches in Mexico.

In the coming weeks, Global Ministries will provide information for you to use in a Sunday school or Vacation Bible School. We’ll have five stories, a short video, and ideas for planning your fiesta.

Mexican Fiestas are always a great time for games, clowns, and of course, piñatas. So start planning now to celebrate with us and support the ongoing effort to reach communities in Mexico where no evangelical church exists.

A variety of positions are open at Huntington University. They just announced an opening for Director of Alumni Relations. Other openings include:

Faculty Positions

  • Digital Media Arts Faculty.
  • Occupational Therapy Faculty.
  • Visiting Assistant Professor of Theatre and Technical Director.

Staff Positions

  • Director of Alumni Relations/Director of the Forester Fund.
  • Resident Director – Livingston Hall.
  • Resident Director – Meadows and Miller Halls.
  • Coordinator of Student Activities / Multicultural Activities.
  • Admissions Counselor.

Sam Ward, Pastor of Creative Worship at Emmanuel Community Church (Fort Wayne, Ind.) leads a session at the Worship Summit.

Sam Ward, Pastor of Creative Worship at Emmanuel Community Church (Fort Wayne, Ind.) leads a session at the Worship Summit.

The 2014 UB Worship Summit is currently underway in Daytona Beach, Fla. This is a conference for UB ministers working in staff positions with music and worship. It is held every two years.

Thirteen persons are attending. The Worship Summit began on Monday and will continue through Thursday (May 5-8). The participants are:

  • Sam Ward, Pastor of Creative Worship at Emmanuel Community Church (Fort Wayne, Ind.).
  • Tom Mahas, Youth/Worship Pastor at Bethel UB church (Elmore, Ohio).
  • John Authenreith, Pastor of Worship Arts at Mainstreet Church (Walbridge, Ohio).
  • Kurtis Charleville, Youth & Worship Director at Hillsdale UB church (Hillsdale, Mich.).
  • Luke Spurgeon, associate pastor at Mt. Olivet UB church (Franklin, Pa.).
  • Dan Friend, Pastor of Music at Emmanuel Community Church (Fort Wayne, Ind.).
  • Chris Kuntz, Worship Pastor of the Family Life Service, Emmanuel Community Church (Fort Wayne, Ind.).
  • Kevin Mattison, Technical Director at Emmanuel Community Church (Fort Wayne, Ind.).
  • Jessi Hott, Worship Intern at Emmanuel Community Church (Fort Wayne, Ind.).
  • Matthew Hann, Associate Pastor of Care and Worship at Jerusalem Chapel (Churchville, Va.).
  • Monty Seaman, Worship & Connections Pastor at Mongul Church (Shippensburg, Pa.).
  • Holly Seaman, Mongul Church (Shippensburg, Pa.).
  • John Plumley, Worship Director at Fowlerville UB church (Fowlerville, Mich.).

Todd Fetters, director of National Ministries, is spearheading the Pastors Summits.

Todd Fetters, director of National Ministries, is spearheading the Pastors Summits.

Brent and Loretta Liechty, from Pathway UB in Jackson, Mich., are leading music for the Pastors Summit.

Brent and Loretta Liechty, from Pathway UB in Jackson, Mich., are leading music for the Pastors Summit.

Bishop Phil Whipple is the keynote speaker at the Pastors Summit.

Bishop Phil Whipple is the keynote speaker at the Pastors Summit.

A group of 42 United Brethren pastors and spouses are attending.

A group of 42 United Brethren pastors and spouses are attending.

The second Pastors Summit is underway at Gull Lake Ministries campground in Hickory Corners, Mich. This event is for pastors and wives from churches with an attendance under 150. An identical event was held last week at Rhode Grove Camp in Chambersburg, Pa.

There are 42  people attending–about the same as at the Pennsylvania summit. The attendees, most of them senior pastors and spouses, come from Ohio (18), Michigan (16), and Indiana (8).

thai-truck-568Aside from focusing on language and culture studies, Bryan and Emily Gerlach have begun work with a local ministry called the HUG Project. In addition, they worship regularly with a local Thai church and have begun to host short-term teams from North America. With growth in each of these areas, the need for a vehicle is becoming more apparent.

The vehicle would be primarily used for:

  • Transporting Thai students to/from the HUG Project Education Center and other activities.
  • Transporting United Brethren missions groups. They have hosted two groups already, including one with ten people.
  • Transporting HUG Project team members to/from meetings and trainings.
  • Occasional outreach trips to the mountain villages.
  • Potential to help the local Thai church they attend with outreach and in-church functions.
  • An enclosed vehicle would also help them during the upcoming rainy season (July – October) and when transporting anything larger than a bag of groceries.

Upon the recommendation of local missionaries, local leadership and Thai Christian friends, Global Ministries has decided a truck would best suit current and future ministry needs. The intention is to add a cab cover and bench seats in the bed for transporting people. In Thailand, it is very common for people to ride in the back of trucks.

The goal is to raise $14,000, preferably by the end of May (start of the rainy season).

If you would like to donate toward this project,
 please send your gift to:

Global Ministries
302 Lake St.
Huntington, IN 46750

Please write
 “2-8998 Th. Spec. Proj. – Vehicles”
 on the memo line.

Holly Lundberg, McGuire Bend UB church (Dayton, Iowa)

On Good Friday, we were blessed to have with us Jeff Bleijerveld, the Director of Global Ministries. After enjoying a potluck supper, Jeff shared with us the work and goals of Global Ministries. We traveled through the different countries and learned of the mission work going on in each one. It is such a big world with an even bigger God!

On Easter Sunday, Dan Carrow was our lay speaker. He spoke about how Jesus conquered death.