(260) 356-2312
Camp Cotubic will hold its annual winter banquet on Saturday, January 19, at New Horizon’s UB church in Rockford, Ohio. Time: 6 pm. You can make reservations here. You can make reservations by calling the camp office at: 937-4698-2519.
The 2013 summer camps are:
June 9-14: Teen Challenge camp (grades 7-12).
June 23-28: Discovery Camp (grades 5-6).
June 14-18: Voyager camp (grades 2-4).
People can register for camps here.
The congregation on Grand Opening Sunday for the Vietnamese church.
The choir.
Dedication prayer for the new church.
Cutting the cake for the new church. In the center is Rev. Mike Dell, Pastor of Spiritual Care at Parkwood Gardens and the United Brethren Church in Canada’s Leadership Development Team Leader.
Leaders of the Vietnamese congregation.
Good food!
Brian Magnus (right), senior pastor, Parkwood Gardens UB church (Guelph, Ontario)
The Parkwood Gardens UB Church (Guelph, Ontario) is planting a new Vietnamese Church. A grand opening service was held on December 30, 2012.
Parkwood Gardens took six months in 2012 to pray, research, and plan for God’s future for the next five years. In our research, we discovered that the Parkwood Gardens neighbourhood of Guelph was quite unique. Of the 120,000 people who live in Guelph, 8900 live in our neighborhood, and the top language spoken after English and French is Vietnamese.
The vision team prayed to know how to connect with this large demographic right in our community. Within a week, we were connecting with a group of 25 Vietnamese neighbors who were looking to plant a church, not even realizing that they were the largest minority group in the neighbourhood!
The church plant will be a partnership between the United Brethren Church in Canada and the Christian and Missionary Alliance denominations. The C&MA has a number of Vietnamese churches near Toronto, and will work towards finding a pastor for this new church. Parkwood Gardens UB will host the church and provide local oversight and fellowship.
Over 200 Vietnamese people attended the Grand Opening service, including the 25 in the core group, about 20 Vietnamese neighbours, and many friends from other Vietnamese churches.
Please pray that God will raise up the right pastor for this church, and that this partnership will lead to many Vietnamese people coming to faith in Christ Jesus.
Phil Whipple, bishop
I am pleased to announce the addition of a new staffperson at the national office. On February 4, 2013, Todd Fetters (right) will join the staff as Director of National Ministries.
Todd has pastored United Brethren churches since 1989–six years at Lake View UB church in Camden, Mich., and the past 18 years as senior pastor of Devonshire Church in Harrisburg, Pa. He has served in various leadership positions, including cluster leader and, since 2005, member of the denominational Executive Leadership Team.
Todd grew up in a minister’s home as the son of Dr. Paul and Barbara Fetters. Todd’s two brothers, Brooks and Luke, are also ordained UB ministers. He graduated from Huntington University in 1989 with a degree in Bible & Religion, and in 1991 with the Master of Christian Ministry. More recently, in 2005, he received a Master of Arts in Religion from Evangelical Seminary in Myerstown, Pa.
Todd and his wife, Lisa, were married in 1988. They have two sons, Jordan and Quinn, both of whom attend Huntington University.
Todd’s responsibilities will include various administrative duties, such as assisting with the process in stationing ministers, overseeing the national ministries staff, and developing strategic initiatives to move the UB church forward in such areas as leadership development and healthy church ministries. Todd will also oversee the cluster system, assuming responsibilities which Denny Miller has handled on a part-time basis for the past two years.
Todd announced this decision to the Devonshire congregation on January 6. He told them that the position blends his love for the local church, and his love for the denomination which is so much a part of his identity.
I am excited about bringing Todd aboard and working closely with him in the years ahead.
The annual pancake breakfast is held in the fellowship hall.
Carlos Palacio’s playful pancakes are always a big hit.
Associate pastor Matt Kennedy (right) and members of the resource team pray for Tim and Tara Hallman as they prepare to begin a four-month sabbatical.
Anchor UB (Fort Wayne, Ind.) begins each year with a pancake breakfast and abbreviated service. This year, the breakfast occurred on Sunday, December 30.
Anchor used the occasion to bid a temporary good-bye to Pastor Tim and Tara Hallman. On January 1, Tim began a four-month sabbatical (two months paid, two months unpaid). Tim has pastored Anchor since it began in October 1998. “We are in a position to give our pastor a wonderful gift,” the church’s Resource Team explained to the congregation in announcing the sabbatical during a Sunday morning service in November.
To help cover the bases during these four months, primarily in pastoral care areas, Rev. Kevin Whitacre was hired to give 25 hours a week.
L-r: Pete Schownir, HU director of gift planning; Mindi Ahl, 2007 alum and business manager at Tom Ahl Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep in Lima, Ohio; Tom Ahl, owner of Tom Ahl dealership; and Grace McBrayer, director of volunteer service and outreach ministry. (With their “knock your socks off” deal)
After more than four years of fundraising, the Joe Mertz Center at Huntington University received an early Christmas present: a 2006 Chrysler Town & Country minivan.
The Joe Mertz Center raised $3100, and the rest was made up by the dealer, Tom Ahl Chrysler of Lima, Ohio (Tom Ahl is the father of 2007 alum Mindi Ahl).
For 20 years, since the JMC began, students have used a 1992 Ford Aerostar for transportation to service projects in the surrounding communities. Because of the wear and tear on the Aerostar, the JMC was only able to use the van for short trips to Fort Wayne and around the Huntington community. Four years ago, fundraising efforts began to replace the van with a more reliable vehicle.
“Receiving this newer van means we will be able to continue our ministry in the communities of Huntington, Fort Wayne and now beyond,” said Grace McBrayer, director of volunteer service and outreach ministry. “It allows us to transport supplies and tools for work days, help with food and clothing drives, and provide for other various needs. Without this van, hours of volunteer service every week would not be happening.”
The Joe Mertz Center for Volunteer Service is a student-directed organization that mobilizes the campus community for Christian service. Each year, students, faculty, and staff log more than 11,000 volunteer hours working with the Boys & Girls Club, Habitat for Humanity, the Girl Scouts, and numerous other community organizations. Throughout the year, students travel on mission trips with the university and host work days to help with needs in the community.
Sara Groves will be in concert on January 27, 2013, at Emmanuel Community Church (Fort Wayne, Ind.) The concert begins at 7 pm (doors open at 6:30).
Tickets: $10 in advance, or $15 at the door.
For more information, contact Dan Friend by email or by calling 260-672-3377.
Location:
Emmanuel Community Church
Family Life Center
12222 US 24 West
Fort Wayne, Indiana, 46814
Jean Bell, an endorsed missionary serving with Wycliffe Bible Translators, has been experiencing some health problems recently. Her husband, Wes, reported on January 4, “They think Jean has developed an auto-immune disease where her body breaks down blood cells and clogs her kidneys called thrombocytopenic purpura. She only has a few of the symptoms, so they were having trouble figuring out what to do. They started her on steroids and did a blood plasma exchange last night [January 3] called plasmotherisis. The kidney specialist wants to do a biopsy when her kidneys are back to normal as well.”
On Monday, January 7, Wes sent this update: “Jean came through the biopsy fine, and was in recovery for three hours to monitor her vital signs more closely.”
Wes and Jean served 34 years in Brazil with Wycliffe, and relocated to home assignment in 2011. They now live in Huntington, Ind., at this address:
Wes and Jean Bell
1914 N. Meridian Rd
Huntington, IN 46750
Roxton Spear (right), senior pastor, Mongul UB church (Shippensburg, Pa.)
On December 14-16, Mongul Church presented “The Christmas Shoes” musical four times. Over 800 guests enjoyed the presentation and the hospitality of the church family. Many comments were shared of how they were touched by the message of “The Christmas Shoes.” This production was directed by Tim Wright.
Our volunteers did an awesome job of set design, hosting, and presenting. We are grateful for the opportunity to share a Christmas message through this drama to our community.
Chester Hirschy, a retired United Brethren minister, passed away December 27, 2012. He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Myona, and his three children.
Hirschy pastored three United Brethren churches, and also served as chaplain with Market Place Ministries. A funeral notice appeared in the Orlando Sentinel.
A memorial service details:
Date: January 12, 2013.
Time: 5 pm
Location: Grace Community Church, 14244 Johns Lake Road, Clermont, Fla. 34711.
