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21 Feb

February 21, 2014 |
Dr. Jack Heller leading a discussion of Shakespeare with inmates at Pendleton prison.

Dr. Jack Heller leading a discussion of Shakespeare with inmates at Pendleton prison.

After volunteering with Shakespeare Behind Bars for seven years and conducting four different summer seminars with their program, Dr. Jack Heller (right) decided it was time to pursue his own prison program in Indiana. Heller is assistant professor of English at Huntington University.

This fall, Heller began a program to guide inmates through the study and performance of Shakespeare at Pendleton, a maximum-security prison near Indianapolis that has over 1800 inmates.

The program seeks to increase the cultural opportunities of the inmates while using Shakespeare to help them re-examine their lives.

Currently, the inmates are working on “Coriolanus,” the last tragedy written by Shakespeare with anger as the central theme. Because this program is so new, the men are currently approaching the play as a readers group. They will eventually work toward a performance of some kind.

“I would like for the men to wrestle with what roles they are assuming,” he said, explaining that many times when an inmate chooses a character, he can become conflicted because it will resonate with his past life.

Heller said that he would like to take groups of Huntington University students to Pendleton like he did with the Shakespeare Behind Bars program.

“You realize the purpose for visiting the prisoner is what we can do for them,” Heller said. “And that’s important, but it’s also about what we can learn about ourselves, and that can be our motivation to keep involved in the inmates’ lives.”

20 Feb

February 20, 2014 |

The new UB sign The new UB sign

On February 19, a new sign was installed outside the national office in Huntington, Ind. It incorporates the new United Brethren logo unveiled at national conference last summer. The sign has already been getting rave reviews. (As you can see, we still have plenty of snow on the ground.)

previous-signs500

The original sign (top) dates back to the 1970s. It was replaced in 2008 with the Healthy Ministry Resources sign. That year, the national office went through a branding process, and adopted the name “Healthy Ministry Resources” to refer specifically to the national office. That name never really caught on and is being phased out. Most people simply refer to the national office as, well, the national office. So we’ll go with that.

Although the name of the office building has changed, it’s mission remains the same: “to effectively resource pastors and congregations of the US National Conference to fulfill the Great Commission.” That was central to the idea behind Healthy Ministry Resources, and it will continue to be the focus of the national office.

The national office handles all cooperative ministries of the US National Conference. Here are some of the services under that umbrella.

  • The Office of the Bishop.
  • Global Ministries (the United Brethren missions entity).
  • Church planting.
  • The Pastoral Ministry Leadership Team, which handles ministerial licensing, ordination, and stationing.
  • Oversight of cluster groups.
  • The biennial US National Conference.
  • Church Resources, which ships Sunday school literature and other materials to several hundred churches every quarter.
  • Communications services (websites, newsletters, print materials, etc.).
  • Pension services for UB ministers.
  • The women’s and youth ministry teams.
  • The Higher Education Leadership Team, which oversees Huntington University.
  • Overseeing various UB events (US National Conference, workshops, training events, etc.).
  • Other leadership teams, study committees, and groups which may arise as needed.

20 Feb

February 20, 2014 |

The Huntington University Foundation has thus far raised over $165,000 for scholarships, far exceeding the goal of raising $75,000 during its 75th anniversary.

Since 1938, the Foundation has given grants to Huntington County residents who attend Huntington University. Approximately 20 percent of HU students come from Huntington County.

19 Feb

February 19, 2014 |
The Global Ministries staff (l-r): Donna Hollopeter, Jeff Bleijerveld, Frank Y, and Jana Gass.

The Global Ministries staff (l-r): Donna Hollopeter, Jeff Bleijerveld, Frank Y, and Jana Gass.

February 14 marked the last day of the Chinese New Year celebration. The festivities always last two weeks, and end with a big bang on the final day.

On January 31, the first day of the celebrations, the Global Ministries staff sent the above photo to our Chinese church leaders in Hong Kong, and to the Global Ministries staff in Macau and China. A number of our United Brethren colleagues in the Far East responded with appreciation.

Frank was born in China and lived there until age 7.

19 Feb

February 19, 2014 |
Huntington University award winners at the annual Fort Wayne Ad Federation Awards recognition on February 14, 2014.

Huntington University award winners at the annual Fort Wayne Ad Federation Awards recognition on February 14, 2014.

Huntington University students, graduates, and faculty shined at the Fort Wayne Ad Federation Awards on February 14. They took home four golds, three silvers, nine student golds, seven student silvers, and “Best of Show Student” in the annual creative advertising contest.

This annual competition recognizes advertising creative excellence from students and local advertising and media professionals. Entries are judged on creativity, originality, and creative strategy.

The Fort Wayne Advertising Honors is a unique national awards program designed specifically for college students. Work entered at the local level can move up to the regional and national judging.

19 Feb

February 19, 2014 |
David and Annette Souers

David and Annette Souers

David Souers was named senior pastor of New Horizons UB church (Rockford, Ohio) effective February 6, 2014. Since 2008, David had been lead pastor of Westwood Fellowship in Woodburn, Ind. (part of the Fellowship of Evangelical Churches denomination).

David grew up in UB churches in northeast Indiana, in the Huntington and Fort Wayne areas. He graduated in 2012 from Moody Bible Institute with a degree in biblical studies, and is currently working on his MDiv at Wesley Seminary.

David’s wife, Annette, graduated from Moody in 2005 with a degree in sports ministry, and in 2011 received a degree in nursing from Medtech College. She and David have one child.

19 Feb

February 19, 2014 |
Jeremiah and Elisa Ketchum

Jeremiah and Elisa Ketchum

Jeremiah Ketchum was appointed lead pastor of Brown Corners UB church (Clare, Mich.) effective January 26, 2014.

Jeremiah and his wife, Elisa, were married in 2000 and have four children ages 1-11. From 2003-2008, they served with New Tribes Mission, including a year of ministry in China.

Both Jeremiah and Elisa graduated from New Tribes Bible Institute (Jackson, Mich.) in 2005. Jeremiah went on to earn a Master’s in Religious Studies in 2006 from Southern California Seminary.

19 Feb

February 19, 2014 |

pool-ketchum-owensThe Pastoral Ministry Leadership Team has approved these ministerial licenses:

  • Kevin Poole has been granted a Specialized Ministry license. He is Children’s Pastor at Fowlerville UB church (Fowlerville, Mich.).
  • Jeremiah Ketchum has been granted a Provisional ministerial license. He is lead pastor at Brown Corners UB church (Clare, Mich.).
  • Mitchell Owens has been granted a National Conference ministerial license. He is executive pastor at New Hope Community Church (Bryan, Ohio).

19 Feb

February 19, 2014 |

Future Foresters are invited to come to Huntington University for an overnight visit on February 21-22. Forester Fest is designed to give prospective students interested in any of HU’s more than 70 undergraduate programs an opportunity to tour the campus, meet current students, and talk with professors.

Also, Huntington University will host a visit day for all theater majors on February 21. This day is designed for students interested in studying general theater, theater performance, or theater design and technology. During the day, perspective students will have the opportunity to tour the campus and talk with faculty and current students as well as attend a performance of “Red.”

17 Feb

February 17, 2014 |

Kyle McQuillen served as director of Global Ministries 1993-2001. He then semi-retired with his wife, Marlouise, in Florida. Two years ago, Kyle was diagnosed with Non Hodgkins Lymphoma. On February 13, he gave an update on Facebook.

Kyle writes:

I am presently in the Oncology outpatient department of the Bert Fish hospital in New Smyrna Beach, Fla., getting my monthly post-cancer infusion treatment. It has been two years since I was diagnosed with stage four Non Hodgkins Lymphoma. I thought this would be a good time for an update while I wait for this five-hour procedure to complete.

My cancer went into remission in April 2012, but I went through a very trying time for the next six months since the chemo nearly destroyed my immune system. I did begin to recover in August 2012, and have been gaining strength ever since. While I am still taking these monthly post-cancer treatments (Retuxin and IVIG), I am working all the time.

I work a day or two a week at our local church (visitation and pastoral care), but my main work is at the Tomoka Correctional Institution (State Prison) where I work for the Florida Department of Corrections overseeing a reentry program for 292 inmates. I work 55 hours a week at the prison and LOVE my work among so many inmates on whom others have given up hope.

Thank you for your prayers and concerns over these past two years! I am so grateful that the Lord has given me this “extra” time to invest my remaining years in the lives of those men who have taught me so much about what it means to really trust the Lord in difficult times.