03 Nov A Definite “Yes” for Mount Hope UB Church

Early last Sunday morning, I picked up my good friend Wally before heading to Carson City, Mich., where I was scheduled to speak at Mount Hope United Brethren Church. Wally’s wife, Phylis, was sick with the flu and didn’t want Wally doting on her all day. She just needed to rest.

On the way there, Wally asked what to expect. I told him I had no idea. I believed it was a country church and told him the pastor’s name. Wally and I do a lot of wilderness canoeing trips together, so jumping into the unknown is not an issue.

We arrived at the church and were immediately greeted by folks in the parking lot. Within minutes, all of our display stuff was in the church vestibule and we were enjoying cookies and coffee. We met the pastor, Valerie Reynolds, and discovered that she was raised in Chicago near Wrigley Field. That followed with a lengthy conversation about the proper way to dress a hotdog and whether or not diced tomatoes belong on a dog. Wally grew up in Chicago, too.

The service went well. Sincere people with a sincere faith in God. It was great to hear of 14 people who have recently come to Christ, baptisms, and various outreaches to the community. The congregation was a mix of young and old, professional and blue collar. After the service, there was a potluck lunch in the adjacent building and great conversation around the tables.

Once we had things packed up and were on our way back to Fort Wayne, Wally asked, “So was that what you expected?”

I told him I was pleasantly surprised. Although the church has been there for years, it certainly is not a “has been” church but rather one that remains vital and continues to impact its community and world.

I told Wally, “I always come away from a church visit asking myself if I would attend this church if I lived in the community.” This Sunday, the answer was a definite yes!

01 Nov On the Road: in Oak Harbor, Ohio

Sandy and I spent the morning with Shoreline Church in Oak Harbor, Ohio. We enjoyed worshiping with them and sharing a testimony of God’s leading in our lives. Steve Fish is doing a good job of leading this congregation. He spoke out of John 13-14 about the 4 questions that were asked of Jesus by Peter, Thomas, Philip, and Judas.

It is wonderful to see God at work in the life of Shoreline. They are growing and have a vision to impact the shoreline of Lake Erie with the message of hope that comes from Christ.

30 Oct The Well: A New (But Old) UB Church in Huntington, Ind.

L-r: Bishop Phil Whipple, Cathy Reich (administrative assistant to the bishop and a member of The Well), Kim Chapman (office manager), Josh Kesler (senior pastor), Kevin Whitacre (Pastor of Youth and Pastoral Visitation), and Drew Wutke (Pastor of Worship and Creative Arts).

The Good Shepherd building.

The office of The Well.

Good Shepherd UB church of Huntington, Ind., has been undergoing major, major changes.

Last spring, they decided to sell their large property–a former monastery on a large tract of land–and meet in temporary facilities. August 16 was their final service in the building they had occupied for nearly 30 years.

They met for a few weeks in temporary facilities. Then, on September 13, they began meeting at Flint Springs Elementary School in Huntington. They plan to remain there for at least a year.

On that day, The Well was officially established. That’s the name of the church now. Good Shepherd UB church has effectively closed, and The Well has begun.

The office staff moved into quarters on Old US 24 on the east side of Huntington. A large open area can be used for youth meetings, music practice, and other things (since they have access to the school only on Sunday).

They have a buyer for the property, but the sale isn’t finalized. Nothing’s final until it’s final.

Josh Kesler has been the senior pastor since July 2008.

This congregation started in the 1950s under the name Grayston Avenue UB church, which reflected its location. When they bought the monastery, they changed the name to Good Shepherd.