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15 Jul

July 15, 2011 |

Huntington University’s EXCEL business students placed in the Top 25 worldwide in the Global Business Simulation Strategy Game.

Competing against teams from around the world, four teams from the EXCEL business administration, human resource management, and not-for-profit leadership degrees competed in mid-December in a business simulation competition hosted by GLO-BUS. The GLO-BUS competition helps students learn how to make decisions faced by everyday companies by placing them in circumstances that parallel real-world conditions.

This is the first year that the university has participated in this competition.

14 Jul

July 14, 2011 |

Ron Cook tees off as Gary Gates and Bishop Phil Whipple watch.

Terry Smith headed up the Golf Scramble at the UB National Conference, as he did in 2007 and 2009. Terry is Congregational Care Pastor at Mainstreet Church in Walbridge, Ohio.

The Golf Scramble–an 18-hole, four-person scramble–was held on Thursday, July 7, on the golf course at Saw Mill Creek Resort, where the conference was held. It started right after the business session ended on Thursday.

Bishop Phil Whipple

There were 44 participants, coming from churches across the denomination.

The winning team consisted of Craig Mickey, Brent Stinger, Dennis Miller, and John Fisher with a score of 64 (seven under par). They all received UB golf shirts for winning.

The last place team consisted of John Erwin, Edgar Harman, Darren Duncan, and Dave Luther, with a score of 75 (four over par). They all received a bag of practice balls.

Gift certificates were given to:

  • Bob Tobey, for the longest drive on hole 3.
  • Brent Stinger, for the longeest drive on hole 12.
  • Harold Ditmer, for the longest putt on hole 9.
  • John Fisher, for the longest putt on hole 18.

Golf shirts were given to:

  • Dan Kopp, closest to the pin on hole 5.
  • Al Carter, closest to the pin on hole 7.
  • Davde Staples, closest to the pin on hole 13.
  • Bob Tobey, closest to the pin on hole 17

These women receive gift certificates:

  • Donna Nye, cloest to the pin on hole 5.
  • Bev Ditmer, closest to thep in on hole 7.
  • Amy Yoder, closest to the pin on hole 13.

13 Jul

July 13, 2011 |

Jeff Bleijerveld (center) giving certificates to the top-giving churches. On the left is Art Page, senior pastor of Salem UB (Chambersburg, Pa.), and on the right is Marty Pennington, senior pastor of Mainstreet Church (Walbridge, Ohio).

Jeff Bleijerveld, Director of Global Ministries

Global Ministries is very blessed to be the international arm of the United Brethren in Christ. On July 7, during the National Conference business meeting, we acknowledged those who were the largest donors to our ministry during the previous year (2010). The top ten churches, in terms of total giving to Global Ministries, are listed below.

This year we added one more category: the per-captial award. That recognition went to Log Cabin United Brethren in Boise, Idaho. Although, they have an average attendance of just 26, they gave more per member than any other church in the denomination. Their divided their giving fairly evenly between missionary support and relief needs.

Top Giving UB Churches in 2010

  1. King Street (Chambersburg Pa.): $67,737
  2. Salem (Chambersburg, Pa.): $31,170
  3. Brown Corners (Clare, Mich.): $31,100
  4. Mt. Pleasant (Chambersburg, Pa.): $30,650
  5. Mainstreet (Walbridge, Ohio): $27,650
  6. College Park (Huntington, Ind.): $26,194
  7. Parkwood Gardens (Guelph, Ont.): $24,865
  8. Emmanuel (Fort Wayne, Ind.): $18,300
  9. Banner of Christ (Bryon Center, Mich.): $16,304
  10. Grace (Sherkston, Ont.):L $12,469

Highest Per Capita
Log Cabin UB (Boise, Idaho): $9,870

13 Jul

July 13, 2011 |

The first annual Fandana Festival is coming to the Huntington University campus August 11-13, 2011.

More than 30 bands will perform on multiple stages around campus, including Switchfoot, Sidewalk Prophets, Photoside Cafe, Attaboy, and Me in Motion. The festival will also feature an indie band competition, seminars, and an indie film component.

The campus will be buzzing from Thursday afternoon through Saturday with fun for the whole family. Overnight lodging is also available in residence halls for individuals or groups.

Tickets are $19 in advance or $25 at the gate. Groups of 15 or more are $15.

13 Jul

July 13, 2011 |

Mark Choi, mission director for Hong Kong Conference, reports that a group of 20 adults and children from the Hong Kong churches will leave for Thailand tomorrow, July 14. They will spend six days with our two churches in Thailand, teaching four classes of English to 90 students, and conducting a carnival with students in the Chinese high school.

13 Jul

July 13, 2011 |

Owen Gordon (right), a UB minister in Jamaica and president of Jamaica Bible College, sent this note on July 11.

“Over the last several weeks, there has been a series of violent incidents and killings in the York Town area. The result is that persons have been shot, members of the community and church have been traumatized, and the citizens are living in fear. Persons are afraid to venture outside after dark. Our Sunday and Wednesday night meetings are sparsely attended.

“Having just started to minister at York Town since April, I believe God sent me to York Town for a purpose, and I am appealing for special prayer not just for the United Brethren church, but for the other churches in the community. Pray for much wisdom as we seek to lead the people of God, provide encouragement and guidance for the community, and trust God for a restoration of peace and calmness in the community.

“This Sunday, July 17, at 5 pm, we are asking all of God’s people to join us in prayer for the community and where possible to join us in a Witness Prayer Walk through the community. Nothing is impossible with God. We wish to walk through the community praying and encouraging persons in the strong all-powerful name of Jesus. There is no distance in prayer.

“One of the persons shot will be buried on July 23, with the service being held at the church at 10 am.”

12 Jul

July 12, 2011 |

The 2011 US National Conference concluded with a photo montage from the week (excluding the final day, Saturday, of course). Here is that video. Y The video was done by Chris Kuntz, who is on staff at Emmanuel Community Church (Fort Wayne, Ind.), and coordinated the behind-the-scenes music/sound/lighting/etc. stuff at national conference.

12 Jul

July 12, 2011 |

Tom and Evelyn Mahas

On July 4, a ceremony at Sauder Village in Archbold, Ohio, saw 56 people become American citizens. Among them was Evelyn Mahas, whose husband, Tom, is youth pastor at Bethel UB church in Elmore, Ohio.

“I really wanted to be able to vote,” said Evelyn. “And if I have kids, I will be certain of their safety.”

Evelyn, a 26-year-old music therapist, was born in Canada but has lived in the United States since age 12. Six other Canadians became US citizens during the ceremony, along with persons from 25 other countries. The online Toledo Blade published an article about it.

12 Jul

July 12, 2011 |

Clockwise, from upper left: Gary and Carol Boston, Marshall and Gloria Woods, Dalton and Jackie Jenkins, Jason and Julie Bakker, Roxton and Diane Spear, Micheal and Cindi Dean.

The US National Conference closed on Saturday morning, July 9, with the ordination of six men. Bishop Phil Whipple conducted the ordination service. Each candidate selected 2 or 3 other ordained ministers to assist in the ordination, laying their hands on the candidate and spouse as they knelt and the bishop commissioned him as an ordained elder.

In the past, ordinations were conducted at the annual conference meetings. In 2005, we eliminated the conference structures. Since then, ordinations have been conducted either in local churches or at the national conference.

The six newly-ordained ministers are:

  • Jason E. Bakker, associate pastor of Salem UB (Chambersburg, Pa.). Assisting: Art Page and Dennis Sites.
  • Micheal E. Dean, senior pastor of Sabetha UB (Sabetha, Kansas). Assisting: Ron Ramsey and Ray Seilhamer.
  • Roxton (Rocky) W. Spear, senior pastor of Mongul UB (Shippensburg, Pa.). Assisting: Milt Herrold, Howard Beaver, and Dwight Spear.
  • Gary Boston, an unassigned minister from Winchester, Va. Assisting: Chris Little and Dennis Sites.
  • Marshall Woods III, senior pastor of Mill Chapel (Reedsville, W. Va.). Assisting: Chris Little and Dennis Sites.
  • Dalton M. Jenkins, senior pastor of Bethel Temple of Praise (Yonkers, N.Y.). Assisting: Ron Ramsey and Chris Little.

The public ordination ceremony included three parts.

First, the bishop asked a series of questions to all six persons together, and they responded together.

  1. Are you assured that you are inwardly moved by the Holy Spirit to take upon you the office of the ministry, to serve God in the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, to the honor and glory of His name? If so, answer, “I trust that I am.”
  2. Do you believe the Holy Scriptures, Old and New Testaments? If so, answer, “I do believe them.”
  3. Will you apply due diligence to frame and fashion your life according to the doctrine of Christ and to live as a wholesome example to the flock of Christ? If so, answer, “I will, the Lord being my helper.”
  4. Will you obey those whom God has placed in authority over you, and follow their godly admonitions with a willing and ready mind? If so, answer, “I will endeavor, through the grace of God, to do so.”

Next, the candidate and spouse knelt, and Bishop Phil Whipple and other ordained ministers layed hands on them and commissioned them to the ordained ministry. The bishop said to each person, “Take authority to execute the office of an elder in the Church of the United Brethren in Christ in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”

The candidate and spouse then stood, and the bishop handed each one a Bible, with these words, “Take authority to preach the Word of God and to administer the ordinances in the Church of the United Brethren in Christ.”

Those three parts were done before the entire conference. After the service, Bishop Whipple presented to each candidate a certificate of ordination.

A number of other photos from the ordination service can be viewed on Facebook.