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The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette ran an article about Huntington University’s student loan reimbursement assistance program, which started three years ago. About 400 HU students are taking advantage of the plan. The program helps graduates who take jobs that pay less than $40,000 per year. The Journal Gazette article explains everything very well, and focuses on the experience of a 2011 graduate now working in youth ministry.
Bishop Phil Whipple (right) conducting the ordination ceremony with Todd and Dina Lilley.
L-r: Daniel Lam, Phil Whipple, Todd Lilley, Dennis Sites, and Kevin Dagget.
Todd Lilley, senior pastor of Mount Olivet UB church (Mt. Solon, Va.), was ordained by Bishop Phil Whipple on Sunday, October 31. Assisting in the ordination were Dennis Sites (senior pastor of Jerusalem Chapel, Churchville, Va.), Daniel Lam (a lay minister from Mount Olivet), and Kevin Dagget (pastor of a local Brethren in Christ church).
Fonda Cassidy, a member of Mount Olivet, writes:
“This was a great and joyous occasion for our church family. We all enjoyed a meal afterward together.We had 114 people in attendance. What a privilege we have been given by God to give His love away in such a manner, and have people who commit themselves to the calling of God and Christ Jesus. We are so thankful for our pastors. We are thankful for those who invest their lives in others!”
Todd has been pastor of Mount Olivet since 2007. He graduated in 1996 from Eastern Mennonite University with a degree in Management and Organization, and received a Masters in Church Leadership from Liberty University in 2010. He and Dina, a registered nurse, were married in 1989 and have two children.
Sierra Rutile Chief Operating Officer, Andy Taylor (center) at the Moriba Town school.
Sierra Rutile Limited, a prominent mining company in Sierra Leone, donated 30 desks and bench sets to the United Brethren primary school in Moriba Town. Thanking Sierra Rutile for their donation was UBC Conference Education Secretary Albert Combey.
The school at Moriba Town is one of 44 primary schools sponsored by United Brethren churches in Sierra Leone. The conference also operates five secondary (high) schools.
Billy Simbo, former bishop of Sierra Leone Conference, now back in the States, sent this note on November 3 about his wife, Mamei:
“The diagnosis is that Mamei has poisoning in her blood which made her system shut down. She has pneumonia. All of this was confirmed from the fluid they drew out of her right lung yesterday. Also, they have her on dyalisis because her kidneys are not functioning so well today. At least now they know what the problem is and they are treating her accordingly. She will remain of the respirator for now and they will also keep her sedated. Thank you for praying with us and for us.”
Participants in the Central Asia trip (l-r): Annette Sites, Abbey and Sam Rocke, Anna and Pete Edgar, Laura Leichty, Letha Chambers, Bob Bruce, and Global Ministries director, Jeff Bleijerveld (all from Emmanuel Community Church in Fort Wayne, Ind.
Jeff Bleijerveld, Director of Global Ministries
A multi-tasking team of nine left Monday, November 7, for Central Asia. We will return on November 19. During out time in Central Asia, we will offer a leadership development event, conduct programs for children in our leprosy and AIDS ministry, and teach English in a local high school.
Pray for the team as we have multiple flights and an overnight train ride before they reach their destination. But primarily, pray for Christ’s love to be demonstrated across all cultural, linguistic, and spiritual barriers.
All but one of the team members are from Emmanuel Community Church in Fort Wayne, Ind. The exception is Annette Sites, from Jerusalem Chapel in Churchville, Va.
Gary Brooks (right), Retired UB Minister and Missionary
Sent November 4, 2011
Denis Casco and I were in Mexico for a Pastors’Training Seminar this week. I flew to Mexico City on Thursday, October 20, and was met by Denis Casco, Bishop of Mexico Conference of the United Brethren in Christ. After a bite to eat at the airport, we boarded a bus for the three-hour ride to Querétaro. Security was tight and efficient. Once passengers were seated, he went through the bus taking a photo of every passenger, just in case.
A couple hours after we checked into our hotel, Brother Guadalupe picked us up and took us to the site where the first session was about to begin. Denis preached on Thursday night. There were over 50 people in attendance.
The next morning, I began a series of messages from I and II Peter, and Jude, dealing with a pastor´s preparation to confront the false teachers who had secretly worked their way into the early Church.
Denis began teaching about the dangers of the G-twelve movement, many of whose false teachings have been embraced by evangelical pastors seeking fast numerical growth in their churches. This movement is very strong in Spanish charismatic churches. It was a subject that was very close to the participants in the seminar. Those who attended did not miss a single session. Our average attendance during the 2.5-day seminar held steadily at 25-30 church workers.
After the last session on Saturday afternoon, Denis and I returned to Mexico City. Sunday morning, we walked along the Avenida (Paseo) de La Reforma, the broadest avenue in the city. We never felt in danger at any time during the four hours we spent on the streets of this huge city. The government closes off the avenue to motorized traffic on Sunday mornings, leaving the length and breadth of the road open for pedestrian and bike traffic. We saw hundreds of entire families riding bikes along the way.
Huntington University’s EXCEL Adult Degree Programs has launched an Online Writing and Learning (OWL) lab to assist students with their writing assignments.
EXCEL students can now email their work to the OWL to receive suggestions and feedback. The submissions are reviewed by EXCEL instructors with English/writing teaching backgrounds.
“Students have the opportunity to acquire feedback tailored to their specific needs before their paper is turned in and graded,” said Nilah Horner (right), an EXCEL instructor and facilitator of the OWL program. “Content-area instructors can then focus their time on instructing their subject matter rather than on writing improvement.”
"Refresh"
Huntington University animation students are taking the festival circuit by storm. The Toronto International Student Animation Festival has announced their decision to feature “Refresh,” an animated film created by Huntington University seniors Sean Cruse of Melville, N.Y., Benjamin Kroll of Mount Lake Park, Md., and Matthew Weener of Hudsonville, Mich. This recognition marks the film’s fifth festival approval.
“Refresh” deals with the disparity between people who are privileged and those who live without. Without delving into politics in any way, the film simply asks audiences to take a hard look at how people use limited resources and if there is any way to help those with less.
“I came up with the idea after feeling a need in my heart to help those without clean water,” Cruse said. “Water is essential for life, and I believe in Jesus’ teachings to help those in need.”
The following festivals selected to feature “Refresh”:
“Making festival pieces was one of the goals we set for ourselves when building the digital media arts program,” said Steve Leeper (right), associate professor of Digital Media Arts. “It has taken a few years, but we’re finally starting to see films like ‘Refresh’ reach a wider audience. This is a significant milestone for us. We tell our students from the beginning that being an artist and finding an audience is what we do now, not just something to think about off in the future. Sean, Ben, and Matt are making that statement true. We’re very proud of them.”
Rocky Spear (right), Senior Pastor, Mongul UB Church (Shippensburg, Pa.)
On September 11, 2011, Mongul Church began 40 Days of Community. During the next 40 days, 10 home groups met, along with two Sunday school classes and one Wednesday night small group. Over 110 individuals participated in small groups, with each group making plans to serve their community in a meaningful way.
Celebration Sunday was held October 23. Our volunteers prepared a breakfast held between the two morning services. The total morning attendance was 242, with 20 first-time guests.
Excitement is building for reaching into our community. God is working in Shippensburg, Pa.
On Sunday, October 30, Morocco Church (Temperance, Mich.) surprised Pastor Todd Greenman (right) and his wife Eva by honoring them for Pastor Appreciation Month. There was a reading in their honor, and a fun skit was performed by several church members.
The church presented Eva with flowers and a gift card to both of them. After the service a special cake was served to all who stayed for fellowship. Morocco prays for God’s blessing on Eva and Pastor Todd!
