15 Jun Spencers Coming to the States on Furlough
Dave and Becky Spencer, Global Ministries endorsed missionaries serving in Brazil with Wycliffe Bible Translators, leave Brazil today (June 15) to begin their furlough.
14 Jun Report from the Honduras Medical Team
I received a call this afternoon (June 14) from Robert Cassidy, co-leader (with his wife, Fonda) of the Honduras Medical Team which arrived in Honduras Friday afternoon, June 11. Here are some notes from our conversation.
- They conducted a medical clinic in San Pedro Sula (the country’s second-largest city) on Saturday, June 12. They treated 430-some people. The clinic was held at the church which is pastored by Benulda and Moises Saenz. It was very hot in San Pedro–96 degrees.
- Today (Monday, June 14) they held a clinic in Yoro. Robert called me during the clinic, with a couple hours yet to go. He expected that they would treat at least 400 people at Yoro. Yoro, located in the mountains, is a little cooler than San Pedro Sula.
- Tonight, the team will travel back to San Pedro, where another clinic will be held in a village outside of the city on Tuesday, June 15.
- All of the team members are doing well.
- The group took down 19 large containers filled with medicine and other supplies, plus their own bags. Only one bag didn’t arrive. They expect to pick it up when they return to San Pedro Sula on Tuesday.
The group will return to the States on June 19.
14 Jun Tornado Claims Third Member of Mainstreet Family
As mentioned previously, one family at Mainstreet Church (Walbridge, Ohio) was hit especially hard by the June 5 tornado, which crashed through their home and took off the second floor. The four members of the Walters family all asleep in upstairs bedrooms when the home was flattened to its foundation.
Mary Walters, 36, and her son Hayden, 4, were both killed. Husband Ryan, 37, and daughter Madison, 7, were hospitalized, Ryan in critical condition.
On Sunday night, June 13, Ryan Walter passed away. Madison was released from the hospital on June 13, but continues recovering from some broken bones. Now she faces life without any of her immediate family.
Other news from Mainstreet:
- The 705 Campus remains open, 9 am – 6 pm, as a collection center for relief donations.
- On Saturday, June 12, they sent out 100 volunteers to help with cleanup and relief.
14 Jun Bishop Whipple in the Midwest
Bishop Phil and Sandy Whipple are currently visiting churches in the former Midwest Conference–Iowa, Missouri, and Kansas. On Sunday, June 13, they were at the Sabetha, Kansas, church in the morning and Trinity UB in St. Joseph, Missouri, at night. On June 15, they travel on to the church at Garnett, Kansas, then on to Abilene on June 16.
14 Jun Ordination and National Conference License
The Pastoral Ministry Leadership Team has approved the following:
- Troy Green for ordination effective March 16, 2010. He is senior pastor of Monroe UB church (Monroe, Ind.). Troy has held a transitional license with us since coming to Monroe in 2006. He had been ordained through the Missionary Church.
- Mark Wilson for National Conference license March 30, 2010. He was previously ordained in the Wesleyan Church. Upon holding the National Conference license for a year, and completing the UB History course, his ordination will be effective. Mark was assigned at the beginning of May as senior pastor of Fowlerville UB church (Fowlerville, Mich.).
14 Jun Local Church Licenses Issued in Recent Months
The Local Church license, issued by individual churches, is the starting point for all ministers. Local church licenses have been issued to these persons:
- Teddy Fairchild, Associate Pastor of Youth at Praise Point Church (Willshire, Ohio), on November 8, 2009.
- Chris Dlugoleski of Bethel UB (Elmore, Ohio) on February 2, 2010.
- Stuart Johns, senior pastor of Idaville UB church (Idaville, Pa.) on March 9, 2010.
- Jeff Stansbury, a student at Idaville UB church (Idaville, Pa), on April 14, 2010.
- Mark and Stephanie Dill, members of Faith UB (Port Orange, Fla.). Bishop Phil Whipple was on hand to present these licenses on May 1, 2010.
- Todd Lilley, senior pastor of Mt. Olivet UB church (Mt. Solon, Va.), on June 2, 2010.
- Dan Lam, Outreach Pastor of Mt. Olivet UB church (Mt. Solon, Va.), on June 2, 2010.
In addition, cluster leader Dalton Jenkins reports that local church licenses will be issued on June 27 to these three persons from First UB Church of the Bronx, New York, where Linton Thomas is the pastor:
- Youlet Staff, Minister of Music.
- Aletha Beckford, local minister
- Hyacinth Sang, deaconess, lay leader
14 Jun Update on Tyler Herlein
Duane and Teresa Herlein sent this update on their 16-year-old son, Tyler, whose suffered a several head injury in a fall June 10.
Thank you everyone for your thoughts and prayers for Tyler. He came home Saturday afternoon and seems to be doing extremely well. He was up for most of the day yesterday with minimal head pain. He had a good appetite and didn’t feel sick at all. He will be following up with his regular doctor as well as a trauma doctor. He will get another CAT scan in one month and then will see the neuro surgeon. Now the trick will be trying to keep a 16-year-old who is used to being very active as non-active as possible.
14 Jun Internet Bullying in Hong Kong
Our Hong Kong Conference runs several large youth centers in housing complexes through its Social Service division. A survey of 2,629 teens by the Social Service division found that 10% said they had been the victim of internet bullying. The results were published in the English-language edition of People’s Daily Online.
11 Jun Prayer for Tyler Herlein
Tyler Herlein, the 16-year-old son of Duane Herlein, suffered a serious head injury on Thursday, June 10, when he fell from a pickup truck in the school parking lot. Duane (right), a member of Gaines UB church (Caledonia, Mich.), is a member of the denominational Executive Leadership Team.
Duane writes:
“Tyler is in the hospital now and will be for a few days. He has a fracture in the back of his skull down to the base of the skull and a large hematoma on the front inside of his skull and brain.
“He is a real trooper! The headaches are almost unbearable, and he has nausea most of the time. He is getting pain meds and anti-nausea meds to help keep him as comfortable as possible. He is going to have a lot different summer than he planned, as he will have to stay very low-key and low-stimulus. He is also a little down about not being able to go on the church youth mission trip that leaves tomarrow morning. Thanks for your prayers.”
Tyler is at the Devos Children’s Hospital in Grand Rapids.
11 Jun Mainstreet Prepares to Worship After $500,000 in Tornado Damage
Mainstreet Church (Walbridge, Ohio) sent out this press release on Friday, June 11.
Sunday services will resume on June 13, 2010, at the 795 Campus of Mainstreet Church despite the damage received as a result of last week’s tornadoes. The 2.5-year-old facility sustained an estimated $500,000 damage to its lobby, roof and classrooms, shutting down the facility last Sunday.
“It was a difficult sight for those of us who were first on the scene after the initial round of storms hit,” said Pastor Marty Pennington (right). As information quickly came in about the level of destruction throughout the community, Mainstreet immediately decided that, other than securing their building, the facility would take second priority to the relief efforts and serving our neighbors.
“The building is not the church, the people are the church,” stated Pennington. “We do not gather on Sunday just for the sake of gathering, but rather to be the church outside our walls to our neighbors, the community, and beyond.”
Staged at its 705 Campus, Mainstreet’s primary focus for the week has been dedicated to relief efforts as promised. Yet contractors and additional volunteers have been able to make necessary repairs to allow services at the Moline-Martin Road location. “Even early in the week, there was never a question of if we would gather for worship,” say Pastor Pennington, “only where.”
Pennington recognizes how deeply the area has been impacted by this disaster and the losses suffered. “There is much rebuilding for so many right here in our own backyard,” he added. “God is the true source of hope and restoration and Sunday worship services will be an important step as we all begin the healing process.
Services will take place at the 795 Campus of Mainstreet located at 5465 Moline-Martin Road located just off of East Broadway and St. Rte. 795. Service times are 9 am, 10:30 am and 12:00 pm. Full children’s ministry and nursery care will be available. All are welcome.