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18 Nov

November 18, 2008 |

Ron Ramsey, Bishop
I talk about leadership frequently as I represent the United Brethren church. When I interact with other denominational leaders, we collectively acknowledge that spiritual leadership is probably our number one problem.

If you check with the local Christian bookstore, you will find numerous leadership how-to books. Go to any Barnes & Noble and look at all their titles about leadership.

I recently flew to an engagement. The free magazine in the seat-back pocket contained several ads for books, CDs, DVDs, and college courses on the subject of leadership. Often, the instructors were people I recognized as having a reputation for leadership.
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17 Nov

November 17, 2008 |

Huntington University and Ivy Tech Community College have signed an agreement that will streamline the process for students transferring from Ivy Tech’s Associate of Science in business administration program to Huntington’s Bachelor of Science in business administration program.

Students may transfer into any of the bachelor’s degree programs offered through Huntington’s EXCEL program, including business administration, accounting, human resource management and not-for-profit leadership. The agreement is in effect for courses taken beginning in the fall of 2008. More.

17 Nov

November 17, 2008 |

The online Mineral Daily News-Tribune has an article called “Operation Christmas Child Begins.” It tells about Fountain United Brethren church, pastored by Daryl Elliott, which is again serving as a collection point for Samaritan Purse’s Christmas Child program. Last year, over 8300 shoeboxes were shipped from Fountain. Sox local “relay centers” (four of them churches) feed shoeboxes to Fountain. This year’s goal is 8500 shoeboxes.

14 Nov

November 14, 2008 |

The final Mission Team Training event starts today in Lancaster, Ohio. We’ve held four of these two-day events, one each month since August 22.

Altogether, about 40 people have attended. That’s a good number of potential mission-team leaders.

13 Nov

November 13, 2008 |

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Pat Jones speaking to the attendees in Lancaster, Ohio. (enlarge)

About 20 people attended the November 12 regional meeting held at the Lancaster UB church in Lancaster, Ohio. Pat Jones, director of Healthy Church Ministries, reviewed proposals coming before the 2009 US National Conference and entertained discussion on them. Then Bishop Ron Ramsey talked about the upcoming leadership transition and his view of various aspects of the denomination.

One more regional meeting remains: Tuesday, November 18, at East Washington UB church in Ashley, Mich., from 10 a.m. to noon.

13 Nov

November 13, 2008 |

Melvena M. Hirschy, 92, the mother of Bishop Emeritus Paul Hirschy, passed away Tuesday, November 11, in Berne, Ind. She was a member of the Monroe UB church in Monroe, Ind.

Arrangements:

Visiting: 12-8 p.m. Friday, November 14, at the Yager-Kirchhofer Funeral Home in Berne, Ind.
Funeral: 10 a.m. Saturday, November 15 at Monroe UB church. People can come for visitation at 9 a.m.

You can contact Paul Hirschy at:

5493 North Goshen Rd
Huntington, IN 46750

13 Nov

November 13, 2008 |

Michigan people: Bishop Ron Ramsey will hold a regional meeting for you next week. This is the  last of five regional meetings. He and Pat Jones, Director of Healthy Church Ministries, will talk about proposals coming before the 2009 US National Conference and about the upcoming leadership transition (neither of them will be available for the position of bishop).

This is open to any UB ministers or laypersons who wish to attend.

Date: Tuesday, November 18
Time: 10 a.m. – noon.
Location: East Washington UB church, Ashley, Mich.

13 Nov

November 13, 2008 |

Ron Ramsey, Bishop

Lots of people finding Christ–that’s what I like to hear about. Please be encouraged by this report from Les Smith, pastor of Hillsdale UB church in Hillsdale, Mich.

In October, our church hosted the Power Team for five nights. It resulted in the conversions of 150 kids and teens and of over 20 adults! They were among 400 decisions for Christ of one form or another.

The attendance grew larger every night with a standing room only crowd of over 700 on the final night, the largest gathering at one time in our church’s history.

The Power Team held assemblies at 11 high schools in Hillsdale County during the day and invited everyone to the Hillsdale UB church for the evening event, where the gospel was presented at the conclusion each night. It had such an impact on our community and beyond, a TV camera crew drove down up from Toledo, Ohio, for interviews of church members, etc.

In exchange for two Power Team T-shirts on the last night, the senior pastor is supposed to lie on a bed of nails with a block of ice put on his chest, which a Power Team member then breaks and the the kids go crazy. Fortunately for me, the team forgot the bed of nails at the previous church in another state, and there wasn’t time to ship it here, so I escaped. But, they still gave me the free t-shirts since it wasn’t my fault.

You can watch the TV news report here.

12 Nov

November 12, 2008 |

Steve Dennie, Communications Director

Huntington University is plunging into the world of online learning. They got their feet wet during the last several years with a Masters in Youth Ministry Leadership. Now, various other courses are being added through the EXCEL adult education program.

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Julie Goetz (right) oversees Huntington University’s online classes. She spent three years working part-time with the online youth program. In June, she came aboard fulltime as the Coordinator of Online Programs. Which means she:

  • Manages and reviews course content.
  • Helps faculty transition their syllabus to an online course (which can be easy or difficult, depending on the course).
  • Trains faculty on how to conduct an online course.
  • Does strategic planning to advance the online programs.
  • Works with LearningHouse.com, which hosts HU’s online classes.
  • And does other stuff. Don’t we all.

Julie is a learner, too. Currently, she’s pursuing a Master of Education with a specialization in “instructional design for online learning.” Sounds relevant, don’t you think? So when online students contact her with questions or problems, she can respond with empathy, since she encounters some of the same issues.
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