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07 Aug

August 7, 2012 |

“Indiana Soy,” by Bryan Ballinger.


Bryan Ballinger (right), a Huntington University professor–and animator, and illustrator, and photographer–took first place in the Indiana State Fair photo contest sponsored by the Indiana State Department of Agriculture.

The photo, “Indiana Soy,” was taken near Lancaster Elementary School in Huntington, Ind. Ballinger is an associate professor of digital media arts at HU. He has been recognized many times for his photography.

Ballinger has been recognized many times for his photography, and has had photos on exhibit in various places.

Ballinger has worked as an illustrator for companies such as Microsoft, Nintendo, Disney, and Harley Davidson. He was also the lead 3D designer for five years at Big Idea Productions, the creators of VeggieTales.

To see more of Ballinger’s work, visit his person website at www.breadwig.com/photography.

06 Aug

August 6, 2012 |

The 2nd Fandana Festival will be held this weekend, August 10-11, at Huntington University in Huntington, Ind. Come out for two days of music, art and films. There’s fun for the whole family!

There will be over 50 bands on four stages across the campus. Gates open at 11 a.m. Friday, Aug. 10 and again at 8 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 11. Here’s the full schedule.

This is a great event for your youth, or just for your own family. Bring a blanket or lawnchair for the big outdoor evening concerts.

06 Aug

August 6, 2012 |

A number of United Brethren churches have reported being robbed during the past year. We reported earlier about the break-in at Homefront Church in Michigan. More recently, a break-in occurred at Lancaster UB church in Lancaster, Ohio.

Pastor Greg Voight (right) reports that they were one of eight churches recently burglarized (the church next door was hit twice over consecutive nights). At the UB church, somebody kicked in a window during the week-long power outage and did some ransacking, but didn’t really destroy much. They took Greg’s laptop and tried, unsuccessfully, to take the safe. “We got off easy this time,” said Voight. “Our last break-in and theft were much worse.”

That one occurred about three years ago. Thieves broke in, ransacked, broke about 17 interior doors. They were apparently looking for cash or items they could easily get rid of. “That time they didn’t take much, either, but they really tore the place up. We really don’t have much that could be easily taken.”

06 Aug

August 6, 2012 |

A new logo has been developed for United Brethren churches in the United States. That’s what you see above.

We are not replacing the familiar United Brethren logo (below). That logo remains the official logo of the international United Brethren church, and local churches are free to continue using it. But the new logo applies specifically to the United States National Conference–the UB churches in the USA.

The US logo is easily identifiable with the international logo, and incorporates the three main elements:

  • The linked figures (the “United Brethren” part).
  • The cross, representing Christ.
  • The flame, representing the Holy Spirit.

The Need for a US Logo

The United Brethren churches in the United States haven’t had their own logo since 2001, which is probably news to you. When we adopted an international structure in 2001, with sovereign national conferences in what is now 10 different countries, the familiar logo became the logo of the international church. We have continued using that logo.

Left: The international UB logo. Right: The Canadian logo.

However, it was felt that we should have a logo specifically for the US National Conference. The UB Church in Canada, many years ago, developed their own logo (right), but none of the other national conferences have followed suit. Which is fine. The international logo works universally.

But this new logo, with some modern twists on the international logo, recognizes the US National Conference as a distinct entity within the worldwide body.

As a local United Brethren church, you are free to use the logo on your website, in your publications, and in any other way you see fit. Or, you can continue using the international logo. No need to run out and redo all of your stationery, or make a new church sign. Use the new logo as it fits your needs.

A Little Background

In the 1970s, we produced a denominational logo with three key elements–two linked figures, a cross, and a flame. The logo was refined by a professional design firm in 1979. They actually gave us three versions (right), and churches were free to use any of them. Probably not a great idea, as opposed to settling on a single logo which would be used consistently, but flexibility was desired and that’s what we did.

In the 1990s, we digitized the logo and settled on just one version–entirely black, with no outlined areas. We also changed the font to something less dated. That’s what you see above, beside the Canadian logo. We’ve been using this logo in all publications for about 20 years.

In 2001, General Conference adopted an international structure consisting of sovereign national conferences, and the logo we had been using became the official logo of the international church. The Canadian national conference developed their own logo, incorporating a maple leaf into the symbol, but none of the other conferences adopted a specific logo for their country.

During the past few years, the US National Conference developed logos for the national office (Healthy Ministry Resources) and for Global Ministries. Then, in late 2011, we began working on a logo to represent the US National Conference.

We hired a Christian graphic designer out of Dallas to develop the initial concepts, with these requirements:

  • The logo needed to be easily identifiable with the international logo.
  • The logo needed to include the official name of the US churches: “Church of the United Brethren in Christ, USA.”
  • The symbol needed to incorporate the three main elements of the international logo: the linked figures, the cross, and the flame.
  • The symbol needed to be usable by itself, without the words.
  • The logo needed to be institutional yet modern.

And so, after going through a variety of concepts, we narrowed it down to a specific design, which was then refined. Then we passed everything on to another designer for a few further refinements.

And now you see the result–an official logo specifically for the United States churches.

Ready for You to Use

The logo has been posted in the Resources area of the UB website in a variety of formats and sizes (JPG, PNG, GIF, EPS). This includes formats with the words, and formats with just the symbol. The official logo includes the words “Church of the United Brethren in Christ, USA.” However, you may have needs for which the symbol, by itself, works better.

The vector formats (EPS) can be scaled to very large sizes. The other formats–JPG, PNG, and GIF–can be reduced in size without distortion, but will lose some clarity if you increase them in size.

06 Aug

August 6, 2012 |

The United Brethren logo is being used by UB churches around the world. In many cases, local people have drawn or painted the logo onto church walls, signs, and banners. And they have taken some creative liberties with the logo, adding their own interesting twists to the familiar design.

The video above shows photos of the logo as used and adapted in various countries. The two concluding slides are the official international logo, and then the new US National Conference logo.

02 Aug

August 2, 2012 |

Eric SelfCongratulations to Eric Self, senior pastor of Mount Zion UB church in Junction City, Ohio. He recently completed his Master’s in Theology at Ohio Christian University in Circleville, Ohio (formerly Circleville Bible College). He submitted his capstone project on July 30, the last of his requirements, and will receive his degree in September.

02 Aug

August 2, 2012 |

Ministry team members with UB people from Puerto Cortes. Derek Thrush is kneeling in front, second from the left. (click to enlarge)

With Puerto Cortes children (click to enlarge)

At the end of June, 11 persons from Devonshire Church in Harrisburg, Pa., traveled to Puerto Cortes, Honduras. There, they spent 10 days reconnecting and ministering with their sister church, Iglesia Luz. Their primary ministry focus throughout the week was leading a weeklong Children’s Bible School, building relationships in the community, and serving the surrounding communities. They also helped with construction of a wall at the church, ministered at an orphanage, and helped the needs of elderly in the community.

Says Associate Pastor Derek Thrush (right), who led the trip, “During our time in Puerto Cortes, we experienced the leading of the Holy Spirit as we served Iglesia Luz and its surrounding community. We ministered to nearly 100 children each day, visited with and prayed with many in the community, and helped build a much-needed concrete block wall for the church. Our team was humbled by the warmth, love, and hospitality of our Honduran brothers and sisters in Christ.”

01 Aug

August 1, 2012 |
Ron Anderson (third from left) with members of the Baptist Union of Hungary. The Baptist Union president, Janos Papp, is in the middle.

Ron Anderson (third from left) with members of the Baptist Union of Hungary. The Baptist Union president, Janos Papp, is in the middle.

Inside the "church that Lidle built."

Inside the “church that Lidle built” during the Church Planters Conference.

The church and supermarket in partnership.

The church and supermarket in partnership.

Ron Anderson, Global Ministries endorsed staff with European Christian Mission in Spain

I recently I had the opportunity to speak to a group of 150 Hungarian church planters and church leaders. The meeting was held in a new church in a village about 30 minutes east of Budapest. They call it the church that Lidle built, because the Lidle Corporation supermarket chain made a deal with them. A smallish church plant bought an older building and began to make it into their church home.

Shortly after they bought the land and building, the Lidle Corporation offered to buy it from them so they could put a supermarket at the strategic location. The church was not interested in selling, but after some negotiation they came to an agreement. The Lidle Corp. would build their supermarket on the front part of the property, and they would build a church building on the back part of the land. They would be able to share the parking and even the large room above the supermarket. It was in this building that the Church Planters Conference was held.

The Hungarian government had decided give oversight of many public schools to religious organizations such as the Roman Catholics, the Lutherans, and the Baptists. Janos Papp, president of the Union (pictured in the center), informed us that the government had just turned over to them the responsibility of 31 schools with a total of 15,000 students and 1,900 teachers. This allows the BU to introduce religious education, and to choose and train the teachers, even though the teachers will be paid by the state. The buildings will continue to belong to the local government who will also be in charge of the maintenance.

30 Jul

July 30, 2012 |

Seated, l-r: Derek Bostick, Dan Henley, Jim Bolich, and Cherie Finkey. Photo by Matthew Ciccocioppo of the Shippensburg Sentinel.

Four members of the Prince Street church staff (Shippensburg, Pa.) took a pie in the face on July 18. It was all a belated part of the church’s Vacation Bible School, which this year used the theme “Amazing Wonders of Aviation.”

This year’s charity was a local food pantry. As an incentive, this year they offered to throw a pizza party for the kids if they met the goal. By day 3 of the 5-day VBS, the goal was met. So, to motivate them further, they told the kids that for each $100 raised, they would get to put a pie in the face of a church staffer. In this order:

  • $200: Derek Bostick, vacation Bible school master of ceremonies.
  • $300: Dan Henley, pastor of youth and worship ministries.
  • $400: Jim Bolich, senior pastor.
  • $500: Cherie Finkey, director of children’s ministries.

By the end of VBS, the kid had raised $825. Which meant four pies in four faces.

Who, among the 100 children attending, would get to throw the pies? They decided it would be the kids who brought the most friends to VBS.

Although VBS was held June 10-14, these four staffers wouldn’t all be together until July 18. So that’s when the pie-throwing occurred. The staffers sat in chairs on the sidewalk behind the church. Pies were thrown, and with each one, the children roared with laughter.