The United Brethren denomination has had a long relationship with Brotherhood Mutual, and many of our local churches are insured through Brotherhood.

Brotherhood Mutual has developed MinistryWorks, a church-specific payroll service provider, affordable for all sizes churches with staff numbering one and up. The cost is as little as $2.50 or less per person/payroll, plus a yearly fee of $10 per W2. You don’t need to be a Brotherhood customer to use MinistryWorks.

Call Tonya Birkey at 866-215-5540 ext. 5335 or Tonya Miller at 866-215-5540 ext. 5356. You can also visit their website at Ministryworks.com for more information, or download this PDF.

Dick Case (left), pastor of Dillman UB church (Warren, Ind.), will retire as of June 30, 2013. He and his wife, Darlene, have served Dillman since 2004.

Richard Mose (right) will also retire as of June 30, 2013. He is pastor of Lurgan UB church (Lurgan, Pa.). Rev. Mose has pastored five different UB churches in Pennsylvania since 1973. He has pastored Lurgan UB since 2004. Interestingly, Lurgan was also the first church he pastored, initially serving there 1973-1974.

Both of these churches are seeking a new senior pastor. Other open churches, along with the method for applying, are listed here.

Jeff Bleijerveld, Director of Global Ministries

In the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombings, we have been hearing about brothers Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev and their connection to Dagestan and Chechnya. Apart from being places we have heard little about, what we are learning is that they are centers of Islam with radicalized pockets under pressure to conform to the dictates of Russia.

What we don’t hear in the news is that praying groups have “taken into their hearts” (persistently and long-term) 31 of the 34 unreached peoples of Dagestan and the 11 unreached peoples between Chechnya and Adygheya. Among them are groups of evangelicals from Russia who have mobilized their people to live in the Caucuses and share with them the Jesus of the Bible–not the Western Jesus, not the Russian Jesus, but the Jesus who came to set Chechens free.

According to Mission Frontiers, 13 of 45 language groups are legitimately engaged with various phases of intentional, cross-cultural efforts toward disciple-making movements. Fruit comes from “work produced by faith, labor prompted by love, and endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 1:3).

Still, 32 unreached peoples in Dagestan, Chechnya, and Ingushetia remain painfully isolated from God’s blessings of messengers, the message, and [Christ-focused] communities.

While the CIA and other international intelligence agencies go about their work of trying to make the world a safer place, God is at work transforming nations and peoples in ways no human effort could ever imagine.

As you listen to the news, don’t forget to pray.

Gary Gates (right), Director of Ministerial Licensing

I am looking for prayer warriors. This is not an easy task. Satan will do everything he can to keep you from doing this, but I need at least 13 people who will pray for a specific assigned area of National Conference. We have 13 areas we want to bathe in prayer leading up to National Conference.

Should you accept this challenge we ask that you…

  • Pray at least once a week between now and June 17 prayer. Requests will be updated at least every other week.
  • Pray daily from June 18-25 for your specific area.

To be assigned as a prayer warrior, email gary@ub.org and you will be assigned an area of prayer to prepare for a spiritually uplifting and challenging National Conference.

Mark Ralph (right) has been assigned as senior pastor of Mount Zion UB church in Wayne, Ohio. In September 2012 he began a one-year assignment as interim pastor. Since that time the church leadership has met periodically with Bishop Phil Whipple, and has determined to appoint him as senior pastor, effective immediately.

The annual UB Youth Workers Summit began today in Daytona, Fla. Bishop Phil Whipple is there, along with about 25 youth workers from United Brethren churches. They’ll meet through Thursday, May 2. The keynote speaker is Arthur Wilson, campus pastor at Huntington University.


Blair Caldwell, a student reporter with HTV, the Huntington University student-run TV station, conducted this short interview with Dr. Sherilyn Emberton, who will become the new college president on June 1.

Last week, the Huntington University board of trustees approved launching graduate-level–both masters and doctorate–programs in occupational therapy as early as fall of 2014. This will be the university’s first doctorate-level degree.

The graduate programs will be located within the new Life Science Education and Research Consortium of Northeast Indiana at the Parkview Randallia campus in Fort Wayne. The programs will build on Huntington’s undergraduate degrees in exercise science, nursing, and allied health.

“Occupational therapy is an in-demand field which is expected to continue to grow in coming years,” said Dr. Ann McPherren, senior vice president for strategy. “This is an exciting opportunity for the university to build on the already strong health careers in the Fort Wayne area”

The program has received a high-level of interest, with more than 50 inquiries from prospective students.

Through the consortium, the university is currently offering bachelor’s degree programs in human resource management, not-for-profit leadership, and RN to BSN degree completion, as well as a Master of Counseling program.

The Huntington University Board of Trustees approved a proposal to create a campus in Peoria, Ariz. (the greater Phoenix area). The city of Peoria will vote on it later this spring. The campus could open as early as spring of 2014.

In October 2012, Huntington University entered into a 180-day exclusive negotiating agreement with the Peoria to begin talks of what a potential branch campus could mean for both entities. Since then, university administrators have met with city officials to determine location, programs, and funding sources.

The campus would feature programs such as digital media arts, exercise science, nursing, ministry and missions, education, and counseling psychology. Two other institutions, Trine University of Angola, Ind., and St. Scholastica College of Duluth, Minn., are also planning to offer degree programs in Peoria. Each university would offer different academic majors to students based on its unique institutional strengths.

The Huntington campus will look to attract students who are seeking a Christ-centered, professionally sound, and community connected education. The campus will also offer the opportunity for students at the Huntington campus to study in Arizona for full semesters or for shorter term classes.