02 Mar Global Ministries Director in China
Global Ministries Director Jeff Bleijerveld is currently in Macau meeting with our staff there. He traveled there on February 28, and will return on Monday, March 7.
02 Mar Obit: Clarence Lubbs, Former Missionary
Clarence Lubbs passed away on Tuesday, March 1. He and his wife Mary served as United Brethren missionaries in Sierra Leone 1964-1967. Three of their children were with them while they served there – Deb, Barb, and Jim. A fourth child, Bonnie was attending Huntington University at the time.
Visitation: Sunday afternoon, March 6, from 2:00 – 6:00 pm.
Visitation location: Schilling Funeral Home, 702 1st Avenue, Sterling, IL 61081.
Funeral: Monday, March 7, 2011, at 10:30 am.
Funeral Location: Coleta United Brethren Church Coleta, IL.
02 Mar Cancer Strikes Former Missionary Bill Fetrow
You may remember the names of Bill and Ann Fetrow, who were once United Brethren partial-support missionaries serving in Papua New Guinea with Wycliffe Bible Translators. They currently live in Huntington, Ind., and attend College Park UB church.
Bill has been diagnosed with stage four bladder cancer. It has spread to other organs, and Bill will not pursue treatment. Bill will begin working with hospice very soon.
01 Mar Register Online for 2011 Youth Summit
Youth workers from United Brethren churches throughout the US will gather in Florida May 2-5 for the annual UB Youth Workers Summit. It’s a great time for networking with fellow youth workers, sharing ideas, and learning how to do it better.
Here is the info:
Dates: May 2-5, 2011
Place: Holly Hill United Brethren Church, near Daytona Beach.
Speaker: Denny Miller, senior pastor of Emmanuel Community Church, Fort Wayne, Ind.
Cost: By April 1, $99. After April 1 the cost is $120.
You can register and pay online.
Because of space limitations, this is designed for the “lead” youth worker at churches. Send the person who leads your youth ministry, whether fulltime, part-time, or volunteer. For more information, go to UBTeens.org.
01 Mar Atlantic Avenue UB Group Works in Haiti
Members of the Atlantic Avenue team that worked in Haiti. Front row (l-r): Deb McCorkle, Deb McElroy, Judy Heller, Jen Corbett, Jeneen Gahr. Back row (l-r): Fred McCorkle, Steve Craver, Rich Eakin, Jeff Judson, Jeff Corbett, Pastor Pat Daugherty. Missing from the picture are Melvin and Amy Coe.
The team digging foundations in the 90-degree heat
Melvin Coe giving a ride to 2 Haitian boys
View of current temporary homes and new homes under construction.
Team members with a completed new home for displaced families.
On January 28, fourteen members of Atlantic Avenue United Brethren Church (Franklin, Pa.) traveled to Titinyen, Haiti, to minister with Mission of Hope Haiti.
During their 7-day trip, they were involved in building new homes for people displaced by the January 2010 earthquake. Mission of Hope has been given 100 acres by the government on which they plan to erect 500 single-family homes.
The group also ministered at several orphanages. Jeff Corbett, an electrician, stayed an extra 2 weeks and made multiple repairs and upgrades at the Mission of Hope campus.
Atlantic Avenue plans to continue the work in Haiti through future trips.
28 Feb Retirement Event for Mark Rutledge
A special retirement service will be held for Mark Rutledge, senior pastor of Praise Point UB church (Willshire, Ohio).
Date: March 27, 2011
Time: 9:30-11 am
Location: Praise Point UB Church, Willshire, Ohio
An open house will be held the same day from 1-3 pm.
28 Feb Five Attend First Regional UB History Course
These five persons attended the UB History course held at Rhodes Grove Camp. L-r: Amy Moreno, Matthew Hann, Jeff Stansbury, David Grove, and Adam Lane.
Daryl Elliott teaching the class.
The annual United Brethren History course, a requirement for becoming a licensed UB minister, is being held in two regional settings this year.
- February 21-22 at Rhodes Grove Camp in Chambersburg, Pa.
- March 7-8 in Wayne, Ohio.
Five persons attended the course at Rhodes Grove Camp, which was taught by Daryl Elliott, pastor of Fountain UB (Keyser, W. Va.).
- Amy Moreno, Associate Pastor of Christian Education at Bethany Evangelical Church (Carlisle, Pa.)
- Matthew Hann, Associate Pastor of Care and Worship at Jerusalem Chapel (Churchville, Va.).
- Jeff Stansbury, from Idaville UB (Idaville, Pa.).
- David Grove, senior pastor of Ebenezer UB (Greencastle, Pa.).
- Adam Lane, Worship/Youth Director at Blue Rock UB (Waynesboro, Pa.).
28 Feb Two Organizations Come Alongside Centennial School
Rotary International, in partnership with Engineers without Borders, has signed a five-year agreement with Centennial Secondary School in Matttru Jong, Sierra Leone. They will rehabilitate damaged buildings, and provide electricity and water supply. The school was ravaged by rebel forces during the civil war of the 1990s.
According to the online Awoko Newspaper, a team of experts from Engineers without Borders recently visited the school to assess the existing facilities. Diana Dunn, the team spokesperson, said they intend to install a solar lighting system and repair roofing (the school foundations, she said, appear sound). She also noted that the one shallow well on the campus usually dries up during the dry season.
28 Feb Profile on Fowlerville Pastor Mark Wilson
LivingstonDaily.com published a mini-profile on Mark Wilson, who became senior pastor of Fowlerville UB (Fowlerville, Mich.) in May 2010. He is new to the United Brethren denomination, having previously served as family pastor at Kentwood Community Church in the Grand Rapids, Mich., area.
24 Feb A Day of Farewells for Darlene Burkett
Darlene Burkett with Box Number 1.
Peggy Sell (left) and Darlene Burkett.
On Wednesday, February 23, the Healthy Ministry Resources staff recognized Darlene Burkett for her seven years as Administrative Assistant to Global Ministries. As reported earlier, Darlene will complete her work at the national office next week.
Darlene and her husband, Phil, will load up a truck on Friday, March 4, and move to Cass City, Mich., where Phil will become senior pastor of the Cass City Missionary Church. Until the end of 2010, Phil was Minister of Music and Worship at College Park Church in Huntington, Ind.
During the morning break time, the staff presented a bunch of nicely-wrapped gifts to Darlene. Each box held part of a large, elaborate nativity set. Darlene collects nativity sets.
Then, over lunch, the staff went to downtown Huntington to the Brick House Grill, where Phil was waiting. Everyone enjoyed a nice meal together as a send-off for Darlene. She’ll be back next week to continue training her replacement, Peggy Sell. But after that, Peggy will be on her own.
We at the national office wish Phil and Darlene well as they begin this new venture.