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18 Nov

November 18, 2011 |

We’ve got a new flagship United Brethren website. The totally redesigned UB.org is now live. Check it out!

The previous site was designed in 2005, with continual tweaks and upgrades along the way. However, it was time for several significant changes:

  • A whole new design.
  • Adopt a Content Management System (in our case, WordPress).
  • Move the site into the “cloud,” rather than host it on a computer at the national office.

So that’s what we did.

We didn’t go all-out with fancy bells and whistles. But we did want to improve the appearance and usefulness–not only for UB people, but for the thousands of other people from numerous countries who, for whatever reason, find themselves on our website.

Related Sites

We also wanted to tie together four sites:

UBGlobal has its own distinctive look. However, the other three sites now share a common look in the heading.

That heading includes a “Related Sites” dropdown on each site’s homepage, which enables you to easily go to any of those sites.

Printing

Each page includes a “Print” feature. It puts the page in a print-friendly format without all of the graphics. You can then print the page, or export it as a PDF document. This will be especially helpful if you want to print a chapter from the Discipline or other official documents.

Use the Search Field
A search field is very prominent on the homepage of UB.org. You’ll also find the search field on every other page, in the left-hand sidebar. The search field is the fastest way to find something specific. For example, if you want information on setting the pastor’s salary, type in “pastor salary.” Keep it simple.

HOWEVER….The search function uses Google. Until Google indexes the new site and deletes the obsolete links to the previous site, you may find yourself on a “Page Not Found” page. So give it some time to catch up.

Look Around

We welcome your suggestions for improving the site. And if you find any errors–bad spellings, broken links, etc.–we want to know about it. We even provided a special form you can use to report errors.

We hope you enjoy the new site. And we always welcome your feedback and suggestions for making it better.

Below are a number of screenshots–mostly from UB.org, but a few from the other sites as well.

16 Nov

November 16, 2011 |

Huntington University students frequently create Hollywood-grade productions. Now they can do it with the best equipment.

A donation from a member of the Board of Trustees enabled the Digital Media Arts department to buy a state-of-the-art RED Scarlet-X camera for use by its film, animation, and broadcasting students.

“It’s a great opportunity for our students to learn the workflow of this camera, because this is what they will encounter in Hollywood and while working on independent films,” said Dr. Lance Clark (right), professor of Digital Media Arts and Communication.

The camera produces 4000 lines of resolution and can be used with the department’s existing equipment. Clark, however, plans to seek other donations to buy more equipment for the unit, as well as two other cameras for the department.

Clark hopes to have the camera ready for use by January.

“We have one of the fastest growing programs on campus, and this is going to put us on par with any film school in the nation,” Clark said.

The Digital Media Arts program supports 139 students in four majors: film production, film studies, animation, and broadcasting.

16 Nov

November 16, 2011 |

Beulah Harkness, 88, of Hastings, Mich., passed away on Wednesday, November 16, 2011. She served beside her husband, Rev. John Harkness, for many years in churches in Michigan.

Visitation date: Sunday, November 20, 2011.
Visitation time: 2-4 pm and 6-8 pm.
Visitation location: Koops Funeral (Lake Odessa) Chapel, 935 Fourth Avenue, Lake Odessa, MI 48849. Phone: (616) 374-8221

Funeral date: Tuesday, November 22, 2011.
Funeral time: 2 pm, with visitation 1-2 pm.
Funeral location: Sunfield UB church, 8436 W. Grand Ledge Highway, Sunfield, MI 48890

16 Nov

November 16, 2011 |

Billy Simbo, former bishop of Sierra Leone Conference and an ordained minister in the US National Conference, called the national office this morning (Wednesday, November 16). His wife, Mamei, has been hospitalized in Abbington, Pa. (Philadelphia area) for about three weeks. She entered the hospital with pneumonia and developed complications.

Yesterday, the family decided to take Mamei off of the respirator and other machines. She is breathing through oxygen tubes, and is comfortable. However, he’s not sure she’s aware of what’s happening. If she continues to be stable, they will move her to the hospice unit at the hospital.

Please keep the Simbo family in your prayers.

15 Nov

November 15, 2011 |

Nursing is a fast-paced field. Nurses are expected to explain and to understand procedures and drug side effects in an instant. This year, PDAs are helping Huntington University nursing students stay ahead of the curve.

Beginning this fall, the nursing department required that all incoming juniors purchase a PDA, such as an iPod Touch or a Blackberry, for use in the classroom as well as clinicals later this year.

“It’s exciting as a nurse because having a good reference at your fingertips is wonderful,” said Diana Shenefield (right), instructor of nursing. “Mostly, it’s to get them the most up-to-date information because it is ever changing.”

This year’s junior class–18 students–are the first to use the PDAs. So far, they are adjusting quite well.

“It’s been really hard, but at the same time, it has been useful. I use mine every day,” said Erin Lessing, a junior nursing student and Fort Wayne, Ind., native. “It’s really quick. You don’t have to look it up in a book. It’s right there.”

The students right now are using many of the hundreds of nursing “apps” available through iTunes and other services, but they soon hope to transition to iPads where eReaders would be available to them.

“We’re getting the students used to it in school, because in the field these are the tools that they are using,” Shenefield said.

14 Nov

November 14, 2011 |
Charles and Doris Malson

Charles and Doris Malson

An Ice Cream Social is being held to recognize the 70th wedding anniversary of Charles and Doris Malson. Charles, a retired United Brethren minister, served many years in Michigan as a pastor and fulltime superintendent.

The details:

Date: Saturday, November 19, 2011
Time: 3-6 pm
Location: East Washington UB church, M57 & Crapo Rd, Ashley, MI 48806

Congratulations can also be sent to Charles and Doris at their home address and by email:

Charles and Doris Malson
10928 Easy Street
Carson City, MI 48811
Email: cfmalsonsr@yahoo.com

The Malsons pastored Brown Corners UB church (Clare, Mich.) 1952-1957, and then planted the Richfield Road UB church in Flint, Mich., which they served until 1981. In 1981, Rev. Malson was elected fulltime superintendent of Michigan Conference. He continued in that role until 1991, when he and Doris retired.

They are active in their local church, community, and as volunteers at the Carson City Hospital. They have 6 children, 19 grandchildren, and 24 great-grandchildren.

14 Nov

November 14, 2011 |

I received this update, dated November 11, from Lori Wenzel of IN Network. We are in the early stages of starting ministry in Turkey in partnership with IN Network. Earlier we invited individuals and churches to contribute toward earthquake relief, which we are coordinating with IN Network.–Jeff Bleijerveld

Early this morning I talked by phone with Behnan who had just returned from the area where the earthquake struck in October in Eastern Turkey.

A 5.7 earthquake took another 80 lives that are documented and others are being searched for in the new rubble. More houses were destroyed and a multi-level hotel collapsed.

The people are experiencing a great deal of fear and are quite exposed to the winter snow and temperature. Behnan told me that the Evangelical Church in Van has been serving over 300 meals a day, and teams from the church are going out into the tent cities offering blankets and warm clothes to the people who are camping there and have lost everything.

We are receiving funds from many of you and your churches, and those gifts are being coordinated by IN Turkey to be sure they get where they are needed most. These gifts are important as the Church reaches out to their neighbors who are Christians, as well as to Muslim brothers and sisters.

In his latest email, Behnan reported, “Tonight in Van another earthquake took place (5.7). There are newly collapsed buildings. We were able to reach the believers and found that they are okay, but this sparked a lot of fear again. Right now everyone in Van is in the streets, and it is freezing cold. People are really in a desperate state. Please pray for Van and may God show His warmth to the believers and people of Van.”

10 Nov

November 10, 2011 |

On Thursday, October 27, 2011, Hillsdale UB church (Hillsdale, Mich.) filled the local theatre to view the movie “Courageous.” Pastor Les Smith (right) had previously approached the theatre manager and purchased all 180 seats. On Sunday, October 23, he showed a couple of clips from the film during both worship services.

Afterwards, members of the congregation snatched up the discounted tickets. Many bought extra tickets to invite persons who don’t attend Hillsdale UB, so there were many guests at the film showing, too.

Thursday at 7 pm was chosen for the film event, because the church was kicking off a new men’s ministry with Assimilation Pastor Travis Ambrose at the exact same time one week later. Postcard invitations were passed out to all men at the theatre before the show.

10 Nov

November 10, 2011 |

Pathway UB church in Jackson, Mich., made the national news on Monday, November 7.

A pastor from another church, while driving by just before noon, spotted a six-foot alligator roaming the church property. He turned the car around, telling his two young daughters in the back seat, “I think I just saw an alligator.” The girls, ages 7 and 9, didn’t believe him. But he stopped the car, got out, and threw small stones at the alligator to make sure it was real.

He called 911. The dispatcher sounded skeptical about someone seeing an alligator, but the police were dispatched. They slipped a noose around the alligator’s head, and then duct-taped its jaws shut.

The alligator will be sent to a sanctuary. It probably wouldn’t have survived long in a Michigan winter. Considering its size and good health, zoo officials suggest that the reptile was just recently released into the wild.

You can watch a video of the alligator being caught on the WLNS-TV Facebook page. You can see Pathway Community Church in the background.

The report was picked up by a number of news outlets, including the Associated Press, MSNBC, and the Huffington Post.

09 Nov

November 9, 2011 |

Brooks Fetters, an ordained United Brethren minister, is the new mayor of Huntington, Ind. After a tough Republican primary race last May against six other persons, including the incumbent mayor, Brooks easily won the general election on Tuesday, November 8. He received 1816 votes, while the Democratic candidate received just 760 and an independent candidate added 132.

Fetters, 52, a city councilman, has been general manager and funeral director at Myers Funeral Homes in Huntington and Markle, Ind., since 1998. He holds two degrees from Huntington University: a degree in business administration (1981), and a Master’s in Christian Ministry (1987). He also holds a diploma in Funeral Service and Mortuary Science (1982). Brooks served as a UB pastor and church planter in Fort Wayne 1987-1998.

You can send congratulations via the Brooks Fetters for Mayor Facebook page or his personal Facebook page.