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07 Sep

September 7, 2010 |

Pastor Les Smith enacts the Book of James

Pastor Les Smith enacts the Book of James

Kurt Charleville, Hillsdale's new youth and worship director.

Kurt Charleville, Hillsdale's new youth and worship director.

On Sunday, August 29, the Hillsdale UB Church held its 11th annual Outdoor Service at Michindoh Conference Center. The day featured the 4 Friends Quartet and a visit from the Apostle James.

Pastor Les Smith’s dramatization of the book of James had an unusual sense of divine timing. As he began the final sentence of James, there was a crashing sound from above and suddenly a huge limb fell to the ground. Since there were no seats left in the amphitheatre, the quartet members were standing to the side under the tree. One of the singers stepped aside just in time, as the branch landed next to him.

The crowd gasped and there was a pause, whereupon “James,” without missing a beat, seized the opportunity and finished his book, “Let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way, shall SAVE A SOUL FROM DEATH.” Before he could add the last phrase, the crowd broke out in laughter and applause. Then the Apostle concluded, “and shall cover a multitude of sins” and exited.

During the potluck picnic and waterfront activities that followed, the buzz continued. Several people who witnessed it asked Pastor Les if he had somehow arranged this “prop.” The pastor’s reply was, “I think the Lord just wanted to emphasize that last verse to us, about the eternal importance of turning sinners back to him.”

There was a record attendance for the Outdoor Service of over 550, including a large number of guests.

07 Sep

September 7, 2010 |

On Monday, September 6, Billy Simbo, bishop of Sierra Leone Conference, sent the following update about his wife, Mamei. Her situation was previously reported on September 1.

Today marks one week since we brought Mamei to the hospital by ambulance. She had been in bed for over four days without being able to get up or move due to excessive pain in her knees and all over her body.

In the ER, various blood tests and scans revealed infection in the port that had been inserted for the administration of the chemotherapy drug and also infection in her right knee. The next day she had surgery to clean up the knee infection. She had a drain put in to clean out the infection and antibiotics were applied directly to the surface. The doctors determined that the same bacteria that infected the port had traveled to the knee. So she has been on antibiotics and all kinds of other medications. The immense side pains she was experiencing were the result of kidney stones, which have now passed, eliminating that pain.

Today things got a little more complicated. The in-house doctors noticed irregular sounds in Mamei’s heart. We were transferred from the oncology unit to the Coronary Care Unit, which is an intensive care unit for monitoring. An updated ultrasound found inflammation around the heart and leakage around one of the valves, probably caused by the same bacterial infection. They ordered a procedure requiring anesthesia and the insertion of a tube down the throat to get a clearer picture of the heart.

Thank God that though the infection and inflammation was confirmed around the one valve, the infection had not spread all over the heart. They will continue treating with antibiotics and other medications, and hope that no surgery will be required. Mamei is now resting quietly and still hooked up to monitors. We don’t know how long they will keep her in this particular unit.

We have completed one week in the hospital, I say we because I have been sleeping on a folding bed next to her. But with this unit and all the monitoring, I am planning to go home tonight and sleep on a real bed for a change!

We should have an idea after a couple more days as to what plans we should make for rehab. I will make a final decision on whether to change my departure date for Sierra Leone some time this week based upon the whole heart issue.

Please pray for the following:

  1. The clearing of the infection around the heart.
  2. For Mamei  to regain her appetite. She eats very little even with us standing over her and urging her to eat. She needs the nutrition to back up the medications.
  3. The strength to endure pain, thereby allowing the nurses and staff to help her with her mobility. The longer she stays down, the more difficult her recovery will be. The initial surgery on her knee was over one year ago and she was still walking with a cane or walker before this new onset of infection.
  4. For the family as we make arrangements and organize things for Mamei’s aftercare once she is discharged from the hospital and or rehab facility.
  5. My plans as I seek to complete our assignment in Sierra Leone on schedule. I am scheduled to attend a conference in Ghana September 19-24, and I am teaching two classes at The Evangelical College of Theology (TECT). Classes start next week and they have asked me to be the main speaker for Spiritual Emphasis week which starts in the middle of October.

Cards for Mamei can be sent to:

Mamei Simbo
1822 Erlens Rd.
Elkins Park, PA  19027

02 Sep

September 2, 2010 |

Jeff Bleijerveld, Director of Global Ministries, is currently on a trip to the Philippines and then on to Macau with Donna Hollopeter, Kathy Bruce, and Barry Skinner. He wrote the following on September 2.

We’re on our way home from Tarlac, having visited seven or so churches in this farming province north of Manila in the Philippines.

The reception was very positive and we were impressed with the work of the pastors and congregations. One pastor rides his bicycle about 30 km to preach at a new church plant and also oversees all the other pastors in the area. Talk about commitment. In the rainy season he’s soaked with rain, and in the dry season soaked with sweat.

While we were meeting at one church, we were sharing a number of things and I asked if some of the newest believers would share their testimonies. I’ve done this in other places and have always been thrilled with the response. So three people shared, and then I also had Barry Skinner share his. We wrapped up some time later, but one couple that had joined us from the community stayed to ask for counsel – they wanted to receive Christ.

We were surprised but very pleased. We thought we were there to encourage pastors and a few of the church leaders. God had something else in mind.

02 Sep

September 2, 2010 |

Mamei Simbo, wife of Sierra Leone Bishop Billy Simbo, was admitted to the hospital on Monday, August 30. The Simbos live in Abingdon, Pa., north of Philadelphia. Rev. Simbo, serving a three-year term with Global Ministries in Sierra Leone, is currently in the States with Mamei.

Tests revealed a bacterial infection in the port used for her chemotherapy for multiple myeloma. She also has infection in her right knee, which underwent surgery last summer. In addition, Mamei has also passed kidney stones, which was the cause of tremendous side pains.

On Tuesday, August 31, the port was removed and she was taken to surgery for orthopedic work on her knee. X-rays showed the knee had terrible arthritis, but since knee replacement surgery is not an option, they cleaned out the infection and applied local antibiotics. She is on anti-biotics for all of the infections. The early guess is that bacteria from the port caused the infection in the knee and blood stream.

Right now, the chemotherapy treatment is on hold.

Billy Simbo writes, “The underling problem is to get her to take fluids to fight the dehydration and kidney problems which are there anyway due to the multiple myeloma. She also needs to start moving right away or it will get more painful and the recovery will be much slower.”

Mamei will need to either go to a rehab facility or have in-home health care. The family is looking into options.

Billy says, “We are relying on the Lord to provide the help and answers for Mamei, for us as a family, and for the medical staff as they treat her so that this infection does not become a recurring affair. Dealing with the original sickness of multiple myeloma is tough enough without the additional stuff that limits her mobility and causes her such pain.”

Please remember Mamei Simbo and the Simbo family in your prayers.

You can write to Mamei at this address:

Mamei Simbo
1822 Erlens Rd.
Elkins Park, PA 19027

31 Aug

August 31, 2010 |

Four persons left the US on Monday, August 30, for about two weeks in the Philippines and Macau:

  • Jeff Bleijerveld, director of Global Ministries.
  • Donna Hollopeter, associate director of Global Ministries.
  • Kathy Bruce, chairperson of the UB Women’s Ministry Team (from Emmanuel Community Church in Fort Wayne, Ind.).
  • Barry Skinner, pastor of Kilburn Avenue UB in Rockford, Ill.

31 Aug

August 31, 2010 |

Kathy Buck has joined the Huntington University faculty as Instructor of Nursing. Her nursing career has taken her to Tulsa, Okla., and to three cities in Indiana–Muncie, Peru, and Fort Wayne. Her experience includes a number of years in intensive care, along with orthopedics, home health care, hospice, and cardiac rehab. She holds undergraduate degrees from Anderson and Indiana Wesleyan universities in Indiana, and a master’s degree in Nursing Education from Indiana Wesleyan.

Dr. Melanie Ross has been hired as Assistant Professor of Worship Leadership. Ross comes to Huntington University having previously taught undergraduate courses in theology at the University of Notre Dame. Ross holds a doctorate in Liturgical Studies from the Notre Dame. She earned a Master of Arts in Religion at Yale Divinity School and Yale Institute of Sacred Music in 2004.

26 Aug

August 26, 2010 |
Matt McKeown

Matt McKeown

Matt McKeown wears a few different hats. His title is associate pastor of of First UB church in Holly Hill, Fla. (where his father, Chuck, is senior pastor). He manages Sound Mind Studios, a recording studio which is a ministry of first UB. And on the side, he writes lots of music.

At the moment, Matt has written songs for (and is waiting on possible approval from) mainstream artists like Leona Lewis, Jennifer Hudson, Meatloaf, Jordin Sparks, Matthew Morrison (from Glee), Apocalyptica, and others. Nothing’s been picked up yet. He’s still mostly in the “trying to get my foot in the door” stage. But he’s been working hard at it.

Matt was delighted last week when a song he co-wrote played on an NFL promo on Fox. I asked him to tell me more.

“For the last 2 years I’ve been writing with a man named Billy Chapin. He has been in the business for years. He has written for and/or produced for a lot of mainstream pop acts like Backstreet Boys, O Town, and artists like Edwin McCain and Sister Hazel. He won an award for the song he wrote for the Christian group Avalon called “Undeniably You.” He has offers all the time from people looking for songs.

“I have submitted literally dozens of ideas for lots of different artists. I submitted a song called “Nothin’ but the Best.” It was passed on by the band. So we submitted it to a company that gets music placed in pro sports games. That’s when the NFL picked it up. It played last Thursday (August 19, 2010), the day of the pre-season Patriots/Falcons game in a promo for the NFL on FOX. We heard from the music company that got it to the NFL that they want more music. So, in the last week or so he and I have written 10 or so more ideas to submit.

“This first time is not going to mean anything big money-wise for me, but it was a way to get in the door. Now that I’m in, Hopefully there will be enough demand to insist on a nice paycheck. As we all know, being in ministry doesn’t pay a lot, but like tentmaker Paul, I can work with my hands and make some extra money.”

Earlier today, Matt reported on Facebook, “The media company that got my song placed on Fox for the NFL has picked up another one of my songs. Life is good.”

Way to go, Matt!

26 Aug

August 26, 2010 |

Phillip Hall has come aboard the Huntington University faculty as Director of the Digital Media Arts Program and Assistant Professor of Digital Media Arts. He brings a wealth of experience in animation.

He realized his dream to animate on feature films when he was hired to work at Blue Sky Studios on “Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs.” He then went on to work at Rhythm and Hues Studios on “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel,” and “Yogi Bear.”

Hall has also worked on next-gen games for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 as a cinematics animator for Vicarious Visions (a subsidiary of Activision) on Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2. He also worked as a facial animator at Image-Metrics, contracted by Rockstar Games for “Red Dead Redemption.” Moreover, he has taught a variety of character animation classes as a fulltime instructor at the Art Institute of California–San Diego.

Professor Hall started his career as a 3D Generalist/ Character Animator at International Game Technology where he worked on various licensed games including “Indiana Jones,” “Back to the Future,” “Soul Train,” and “The Addams Family.” In February 2008, he short animation “Bupkis, My Dear Watson” won the monthly character animation competition on  11Secondclub.com.

Hall  graduated from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, and earned a Masters from the Miami International University of Art and Design.

25 Aug

August 25, 2010 |

In October 2010, Global Ministries will send a series of work teams to help rebuild Haitian United Brethren churches that were flattened by the earthquake last January. These churches are crucial in our efforts to rehabilitate their communities.

We need you as part of a team.

We will send teams on these dates.

Team 1 – October 3-10
Team 2 – October 10-17
Team 3 – October 17-24
Team 4 – October 24-31

Honduras Conference has committed and raised the support to send one volunteer. More are needed.

Cost: $500 per person plus airfare to and from Port Au Prince.

Contact Donna Hollopeter for more information.