(260) 356-2312
As of Thursday morning, June 16, we have 719 people registered for National Conference, which begins in just under two weeks.
The national office is a flurry of activity with conference-related stuff–phone calls, emails, sundry preparations.
Reports from denominational officials will be posted today on the National Conference website.
Global Ministries has posted a new mission project involving Sierra Leone.
Project: Honda XL 125 motorcycles for the six regional superintendents.
Location: Sierra Leone
Cost:$40,800 ($6800 per motorcycle)
Sierra Leone National Conference has six regional superintendents who supervise church ministries in their regions. Over the years, these regional superintendents have not been as effective as expected due to lack of transportation. The Honda XL 125 motorcycle is very common and will be a reliable means of transportation, enabling these superintendents to fulfill their leadership duties.
The national conference has grown extensively over the past three years. It now includes 73 churches and 15 preaching points, plus 54 schools with a total enrollment of just over 10,000 students and 376 teachers. The conference has budgeted funds to cover fuel expenses and will cover repairs.
Global Ministries has added a new mission project on the UBGlobal.org website.
Project: Renovations on the national office.
Location: Bo, Sierra Leone
Cost: $30,000
The United Brethren National Office in Bo was built 19 years ago. It has seven rooms, a hall, and restroom. However, the building was never totally completed due to the rebel war of the 1990s and subsequent lack of funds.
Currently, the Superintendent of Administration uses the building, and the lecture hall is used by a new United Brethren fellowship. The superintendent’s office is the only room in relatively good condition. The hall is used once every two years for Bi–Annual Conference, but could be used further for training, workshops, and other events held by the United Brethren or other church groups.
Sierra Leone Conference wants to complete the building so that all other members of our leadership team–the Bishop, superintendents, National Youth Director, Development Coordinator, Women’s Director, Education Secretary–can use the building. The conference office serves 73 churches and 15 preaching points, plus 54 schools with a total enrollment of just over 10,000 students and 376 teachers. There is one theological college and one hospital.
Among the renovations required are:
Once these offices have been renovated, Bishop John Pessima will able to relocate his home to Bo. He still lives in Freetown, a half-day drive from their offices and not centrally located within the conference.
Idaville UB church (Idaville, Pa.) is looking for a fulltime assistant pastor. This person will be responsible to plan, oversee, and coordinate all activities of the youth and young adults in the church, and oversee the entire music ministry of the church.
Huntington University was mentioned in a USA Today article about private liberal arts colleges that help students repay loans. This is targeted at students headed toward careers in low-paying public-service fields, enabling private colleges to attract and keep students who otherwise might opt for something cheaper…or skip college altogether.
The article quoted Erica Harris, 22, who graduated in May from Huntington with a degree in Family and Children’s Ministries. If she ends up in a job that pays less than $20,000 a year, the loan repayment plan will cover her payments for that year. Students pay nothing for this benefit. Instead, the college pays an average of $1200 per student per year to LRAP Association, a company that repays loans using the pooled funds.
It makes another good reason to attend Huntington University.
Rivers of Living Water Church in Barcena, Guatemala
Global Ministries has posted a new mission project:
Description: Work team to construct a second floor to the Rivers of Living Water Church
Location: Barcena, Guatemala
Cost: $8500
The Rios de Agua Viva United Brethren Church is located in Barcena, about 20 miles from Guatemala City. This church plant was actually started by another group, but they abandoned the work when the neighborhood didn’t seem to respond. Of the 4000 people who live in Barcena, only 10% have fulltime employment. Pastor Cesar’s family live in their hometown some 80 miles away, while he lives in a tin hut across the street from the church plant. He supports himself and his family by laying brick.
The church building has walls, a floor, a temporary corrugated steel roof, and electricity. However, the community does not have a water supply. The congregation has paid for all of the work accomplished thus far, and there are no liens.
They would love to have help from a team to construct a second floor, which they could use for ministry and as a living space for the pastor’s family. They estimate that it will cost $8500. Low cost accommodations would be available in Guatemala at a guesthouse owned by CH Global, one of our partnering agencies.
Endorsed missionaries Roger and Marilyn Reeck celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary on June 3, 2011. Except Roger was in Columbia and Marilyn was in Dallas, Tex. But they did communicate through the internet. They’ll have a belated celebration in July in Honduras, with three of their four daughters present.
At the same time, the Reecks completed 40 years of missionary service with Wycliffe Bible Translators. They write, “The Lord has certainly been wonderful to us during these years–through all of the ups and downs. We have been involved in such a wide variety of activiteis that it has never been boring. It has been an honor and privilage to serve Him in this way.”
In May, their third daughter, Amanda, traveled to Honduras on a medical trip and was able to spend a few days with her parents. She graduated from Baylor School of Medicine on May 29, and is beginning a three-year internship in internal medicine in Dallas.
Right now, Roger is in Bogota, Columbia. He writes, “I am helping a small group of jungle Indians translate Psalms into their language while still keeping a poetic style. It is so fulfilling to share this knowledge with the Waimaha Indians as they choose just the right words to make the Psalms sound poetic and beautiful.”
David Rawley (right), senior pastor of Otterbein UB church in Greencastle, Pa., gave the baccalaureate address for Greencastle-Antrim High School. His message was based on the life of Joseph in the Old Testament. He told them that to achieve their dreams, they may need to lose their most precious childhood possession–which, in Joseph’s case, was his colorful coat. “Part of the journey was, he had to lose the robe. It seemed like a tragedy. But that’s life.”
The RecordHerald.com printed quite a bit from his message. Dave has pastored Otterbein since 1985.
As of Tuesday, June 7, we had 625 people registered for the US National Conference, July 6-9, 2011.
Here is a further breakdown:
Note: the registration cost goes up June 10. So register now.
Dr. Paul R. Fetters, Emeritus Dean of the Huntington University Graduate School of Christian Ministries
As the early Christians of Jerusalem were attending the feast of Pentecost 1,978 years ago, the Holy Spirit came in the power of the wind with purifying flame, and the people heard the Gospel in their own languages. The Christian Church, conceived in the mind of God and promised in the person of Christ, was born of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost.
As German immigrants were attending a “great meeting” in Isaac Long’s barn, Lancaster, Pa., on Whitsuntide (Pentecost Sunday) nearly 250 years ago, circa 1767, the Holy Spirit breathed upon the heart of a preacher, Martin Boehm. His sermon moved the hearts of the congregation, among whom was Rev. William Otterbein. Embracing Boehm, he exclaimed, “Wir sund bruder”–We are brethren! From this small beginning, the Church of the United Brethren in Christ took root to become the first denomination born in America.
This Sunday, June 12, is Pentecost Sunday, a major date in the Christian church calendar. As Christian believers, United Brethren people have double reason to celebrate Pentecost Sunday.
