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Six persons are from the United States are now in Sierra Leone, where they will participate in the annual Women’s Institute.
This fall, Huntington University will launch an innovative new program in athletic training.
The 3-2 athletic training program starts with three years of undergraduate study at Huntington, followed by two years of graduate work at Manchester College in North Manchester, Ind. Students will emerge with a Bachelor of Science degree in pre-athletic training from Huntington and a Master of Athletic Training degree from Manchester.
Dr. Matthew Ruiz (right), HU associate professor of exercise science, says, “There is a large and growing demand for athletic training experts in the workforce. In coming years, professionals without a master’s degree will be underprepared to meet the realities of the industry. This partnership with Manchester will ensure that our students are ready and equipped to enter the workforce.”
L-r: Reneson Jean-Louis, Vanessa Robles, Brianna Cash, Mirlyne Charles, Corean Sanders, Madison Rhoades. (click to enlarge)
Huntington University has chosen six incoming freshman to receive the Horizon Leadership Scholarship for the 2012-13 school year.
This is the program’s fifth year. The Horizon Leadership Program is a partnership between Huntington University and Youth for Christ with the goal of creating a more racially and ethnically diverse campus. The scholarship covers fees associated with tuition and housing costs for up to 10 semesters through a combination of federal, state, and institutional aid. Recipients are required to maintain a 2.5 grade point average, meet with the director of the program weekly, and volunteer at the Primetime Center in Fort Wayne.
“The Horizon Leadership Program provides a tremendous opportunity for ethnic-minority students to become trailblazers for the younger youth within their homes and communities who will follow in their footsteps,” says Arthur Wilson (right), director of urban scholarship and mentoring for the program. “As a Horizon participant, students play a pivotal role in reflecting the diversity of God’s kingdom within the community of Huntington.”
Seven students received the award in 2011. The recipients of this year’s scholarships:
Earlier this year, Huntington University received a national award for its programs in promoting racial and ethnic diversity.
Jeff Bleijerveld, Director of Global Ministries
As Easter approaches, we select a number of worthy projects we believe will advance the work of Christ. We invite your church to participate in this missions offering.
Business as Missions materials. Business as Missions refers to using business earnings to support an individual or group in accomplishing their ministry goals. Global Ministries is training its overseas staff, international church planters, and national conferences in its use. However, our materials are now printed only in English. Your gifts will enable us to translate and print these materials so we can respond to requests for further training and coaching in the Spanish-speaking world.
Church planting and construction. We never provide complete funding for a new church, but do offer some assistance to complete buildings where local believers have already bought property or initiated construction. Each project is carefully assessed and funds are provided based on need. In some cases, a work team may be sent.
Sierra Leone National Office. Wanting to centralize national leadership, Sierra Leone Conference has been working to renovate their national office building in Bo, which is in disrepair. A renovated national office will bring its key national leaders under one roof, make it possible to offer regular training events, and reduce travel expenses.
General Conference, Spring 2013. General Conference, held every three years, brings together leaders from our 10 national conferences. They report what God is doing in their countries, share vision, pray, and develop cooperative strategies to reach our world for Christ. The next General Conference will be held in Canada during the spring of 2013. While each National Conference is asked to pay its own expenses, your gifts help make up for any lack of resources.
Mission Team Leader Training. Interest in sending short-term volunteers overseas continues to grow. However, the effectiveness of mission teams often depends on the leadership and preparation of the group. Global Ministries has a short-term mission team leadership workshop that has been offered in the past. We’d like to offer it again on a regional basis.
Donations designated for our short-term mission team leadership workshops will cover the printing and preparation of materials and curriculum, travel expenses for the presenters, and some financial assistance to the participants.
Ken Williamson has been named senior pastor of Orrstown UB church (Orrstown, Pa.) effective April 1, 2012.
Rev. Isaac Nugent was elected as bishop of Jamaica National Conference, during their annual meeting March 14-18, 2012. He replaces Bishop Winston Smith, who was first elected in 2002. Smith held the title of “General Superintendent” until 2006, when the conference began using the title “Bishop” for its highest elected leader.
Arek and Donna Delik are UB endorsed missionaries serving with Operatin Mobilization in Kutno, Poland. They work with alcoholics, youth, and church planting. Here is the story of one man influenced through their ministry.
Donna Delik
Waldek was a professional renovator and also an alocholic, who had had lost everything and became homeless becasue of this. Sometime ago, he started coming to our support group for alcoholics. In the mean time, we gave him the job of renovating our “antique kitchen.” We hoped this would help him get back on his feet and start a new life.
Arek worked with Waldek and used this opportunity to encourage him. However, after we tore down everything and gave him some money, he disappeared and left us a mess.
This is the constant struggle we face with our ministry among alcoholics and the marginalized. Some people think we are fools as we keep our home open to the others. But didn’t Jesus teach us to love and forgive, even being cheated 77 times? I suppose Jesus would never give up on people who were willing to return and repent.
We sometimes saw Waldek searching for food in the garbage. His condition was worsening. We tried to approach him, but he avoided us. Even so, we didn’t give up and constantly kept him in our prayer.
A year went by. Waldek’s closest buddy died suddenly because of his heavy drinking, and Waldek hit rock bottom. He turned up in our weekend outreach last May and sought help. We fed him and a brother gave him a place to sleep. Then we took him to Teen Challenge, a Christian rehabilitation center 400 km away for people with addiction problems.
A few days ago, Waldek was giving his testimony during our weekend outreach. He apologized for the mess he created literally in our apartment. He also went to his family to ask for forgiveness and reconciled with his children. It was such a joy to see him finally starting a new life in Christ.
Waldek then returned to Teen Challenge. He will finish his treatment in 3 months, and re-entering the society will be his biggest challenge yet. He still doesn’t know where he will go. As a church, we want to preach and live the gospel at the same time, so we are committed to stand with him through prayer and practical help.
Bishop Phil Whipple (left) and Josh Kesler, senior pastor of The Well (click to enlarge).
Looking at the property from US 24 (click to enlarge).
The current store part of the building. Josh Kesler (right) is bringing in a photocopier for the office area. Cathy Reich, a longtime parishioner, is on the left.
L-r: Jeff Bleijerveld, Frank Y, and Phil Whipple look over one of the additional buildings on the property.
It looks like The Well in Huntington, Ind. will soon have a new home.
The congregation, a fresh restart of the former Good Shepherd UB church, has been meeting in temporary facilities for the past two years, since moving out of the former St Felix Friary which had been their home since 1981. An article on March 5 told what is happening with that property.
For the past year, the Well has been holding services in the Huntington YMCA, and it’s been a good situation for them. But all the while, they’ve been searching for a property which would become their own.
The property of Huntington Lumber, on old US 24, became available. They now have a signed purchase agreement. There are a few conditions which need to be met, so it could, potentially, fall through. But everything looks good.
The owner of Huntington Lumber, Bob Oliver, has even invited Pastor Josh Kesler to move the church offices into the building. Oliver is a member of Emmanuel UB church in Fort Wayne, Ind.
Some of the Healthy Ministry Resources staff took a field trip to Huntington Lumber on Monday, March 12. Cathy Reich, administrative assistant to Bishop Phil Whipple, attends the Well.
It’s quite a large property. There is a main building, which will be targeted first for renovation. It’ll house the sanctuary, classroom space, and offices. Then there are two other fairly large buildings. They’ll have gobs and gobs of paved parking space.
The Well will employ an architect to redesign the main building. Josh Kesler envisions them possibly moving in by the end of the year. Hopefully, everything will work out.
Arek and Donna Delik are UB endorsed missionaries serving with Operatin Mobilization in Kutno, Poland.
Donna Delik
Alcoholism is a problem in all generations in Poland, destroying not only individuals but also their families. “New Life” ministry was founded in 2005 when God transformed Janek, a former alcoholic. He dedicated his life to help other alcoholics find hope in Jesus.
We are very thankful that despite all the obstacles in the beginning, God has blessed this ministry. With God’s help and much perseverance, the work has gradually expanded. Attendance for the weekday support group last year grew significantly, and many of them also attend Sunday services. We notice that they don’t just seek God‘s help for their alcohol problem, but seek God himself who could transform their lives.
In February, over 100 people attended our weekend outreach. Some have started attending our support group, and 2 were referred to Teen Challenge for treatment. Please pray for Janek and his wife Zosia, who are responsible for this ministry. They are overwhelmed by the demand of the growing ministry and need fellow workers.
Praise God for the many former alcoholics who have found new life in Christ. We plan to hold a baptism for the new believers at Easter. We pray that through studying the Word with Arek, those who are considering baptism will understand the true meaning of baptism.
Besides this growth, in 2011 we started the hospital ministry in Plock. Recently, the prison authority there invited us to hold regular meetings in the prison. We are really excited for this expanding ministry. However, “the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.” Please join us to ask the Lord of the harvest, to send out workers into his harvest field.
Huntington University ministry professor Dr. Tom Bergler (right) has released a new book titled “The Juvenilization of American Christianity.”
In his book, Bergler traces the way in which, over the past 75 years, youth ministries have breathed new vitality into four major American church traditions: African American, Evangelical, Mainline Protestant, and Roman Catholic.
“In the book, I argue that youth ministries have revitalized American Christianity but at the cost of making American Christians more immature,” Bergler said. “And I call this process the juvenilization of American Christianity.”
Bergler shows how this “juvenilization” of churches has led to “widespread spiritual immaturity, consumerism and self-centeredness, popularizing a feel-good faith with neither inter-generational community nor theological literacy,” he says. Bergler’s critique further offers constructive suggestions for taming this juvenilization.
“I’m in favor of youth ministry, but it needs to be done in a way that fosters spiritual maturity,” he said.
Bergler is an associate professor of ministry and missions at Huntington University. He completed his Ph.D. in American Religious History from the University of Notre Dame and his M.A. in theology and church history from Wheaton College. He served as a staff worker for University Christian Outreach for seven years, helping to evangelize and disciple students at the University of Michigan, the University of London, and Michigan State University. He also co-founded the Spring Academy, a Christian theology and ministry camp for students from state universities.
He currently serves as senior associate editor of The Journal of Youth Ministry, and is the author of numerous articles and papers on the topic of ministry.
