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20 Feb

February 20, 2008 |

The prayer chapel in Huntington University’s new residence hall will be called the Paul R. Fetters Chapel after Dr. Paul Fetters, who has spent his career serving the United Brethren in Christ Church as a pastor and in the Graduate School of Christian Ministries.

The Huntington University Board of Trustees adopted the resolution naming the chapel Jan. 26. President G. Blair Dowden (left, congratulating Dr. Fetters) shared the news with the campus community February 15 at the annual Honors Convocation.

“It is my privilege to recognize a colleague who epitomizes Christ-centeredness in his scholarship, his teaching, his ministry, and his personal life,” Dowden said.

Enrolling at Huntington in 1951, Fetters earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1955, followed by a Bachelor of Divinity from the Huntington College Theological Seminary in 1959. He earned a Master of Divinity from Eastern Baptist, now Palmer, Theological Seminary in Philadelphia; a Master of Education in Counseling from the University of St. Francis in 1975; and a Doctor of Ministry from Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena. During the past 10 years, his studies have continued at the University of British Columbia, Regent College, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Joining the faculty in 1960 as a part time instructor in the Huntington College Theological Seminary, he filled several adjunct faculty positions during his 18 years of pastoral ministry. Later in 1972 as a full-time professor of practical theology, he was instrumental in the seminary transformation into the Graduate School of Christian Ministries, serving as director and dean from 1972 until 1997.

A contributor to a variety of denominational publications, religious periodicals and journals, Fetters served as general editor of several UB-related books, including Trials and Triumphs: History of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ and Theological Perspectives: Arminian-Wesleyan Reflections on Theology. He has taught in many of the countries where you’ll find UB churches, including Canada, Sierra Leone, Honduras, Jamaica, and Hong Kong.
He continues to invest himself in the students of Huntington University as a professor in the Bible and Religion Department and through mentoring young adults at College Park Church in Huntington, Ind.

The prayer chapel will be housed in the new residence hall, Livingston Hall, named after the historic dormitory of the same name. The building was demolished in 1988, and RichLyn Library was constructed on the site.

“What an honor!” Fetters said. “The chapel located in Livingston Hall will perpetuate the memories of the early beginnings of the Graduate School of Christian Ministries, which was housed in the original Livingston Hall, 1977-1987.”

20 Feb

February 20, 2008 |

Dr. Ora D. Lovell, 93, a longtime minister in the UB church, passed away February 19 in Circleville, Ohio. Here are the funeral arrangements:

  • Location: Wellman’s Funeral Home, 1455 N. Court St., Circleville, Ohio.
  • Viewing: Thursday, February 21, 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m.
  • Funeral: 11 a.m. Friday, February 22, at Wellman’s.

20 Feb

February 20, 2008 |

Here in the national office, we’re excited about the upcoming arrival of Jeff Bleijerveld as the new Director of Global Ministries. He’s a quality guy who will fit right in. I’ll enjoy watching him take our missions program to the next level…whatever that is. Jeff starts on March 3.

Tomorrow, the office staff will hold a farewell luncheon for Gary Dilley, who served as Global Ministries director from August 2001 until January of this year. Because of a prior commitment, I’ll miss that luncheon. Pat Jones has offered to eat my pizza for me, and he’s welcome to it. But since I’ll be gone, I thought I’d use this space to say some words about Gary, who has been a beloved friend, in addition to a coworker.

The 1990s were a time of unprecedented expansion in our worldwide ministry. In 1993, Ray Seilhamer was elected bishop and Kyle McQuillen was elected as Director of Missions, and they both served until 2001. At that time, we had churches in eight countries, and had opened only one new field per decade–Nicaragua in the 1960s, India in the 1970s, and Macau in 1987.
But from 1993-2001, the number of fields nearly doubled:

  • 1993: Thailand
  • 1995: Costa Rica
  • 1997: Mexico
  • 1998: Myanmar
  • 1999: El Salvador
  • 2000: Haiti
  • 2000: Guatemala

In addition, the church planting work in India grew by leaps and bounds, and a number of Hispanic churches in the United States arose through the work of Denis Casco. Disclaimer: we in North America can’t take credit for this expansion. Much of it came from the initiative of our churches in Hong Kong and Central America. But in each case, we were involved, often heavily involved. So a great deal of new territory needed to be assimilated into worldwide United Brethrenism, and numerous new demands were placed on Global Ministries funds.
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11 Feb

February 11, 2008 |

Are you a Facebook member? If so, you might be interested in joining one of the Facebook groups related to Huntington University. Just log-in and do a search for one of these group names. You might even be able to connect with some long-lost friends and classmates.

  • Huntington University Supporters. Currently has 247 members.
  • Huntington College Alumni. Has 178 members.
  • Huntington University Supporters. Has 103 members.

11 Feb

February 11, 2008 |

Darrel Bosworth (right, with his wife, Barbara), senior pastor of Kilpatrick UB church (Woodland, Mich.), was ordained on February 10 by Bishop Ron Ramsey at the church.

11 Feb

February 11, 2008 |

Here are some recent news items from Coleta UB in Coleta, Ill.

  • In early December, 24 youth and adults attended a Casting Crowns concert. Amazingly, though the tickets were purchased by three different people, each buying eight tickets, everyone got to sit together.
  • The church adopted a family through the county health department to bless for Christmas. they sent clothes, toys, food, and cash. Upon delivering the gifts, they learned that the family was in the midst of a tragedy, with the mother dying just days before Christmas.
  • The December 23 service was an “open mic” time, with several persons sharing poems, songs, stories, and scripture.
  • The church members are reading Change Your Church for Good, by Brad Powell, whom several members heard speak in May 2007 at the US National Conference.

11 Feb

February 11, 2008 |

Robert Schubert retired as pastor of Center Hill UB (Mount Carroll, Ill.) at the end of December 2007. Floyd West has been appointed as interim pastor for January through April 2008.

09 Feb

February 9, 2008 |

Peggy Richardson, whose husband John Richardson pastored UB churches for many years, has passed away. The funeral will be Monday, February 11, in Van Wert, Ohio. Cowans Funeral Home in Van Wert is in charge of the arrangements.

07 Feb

February 7, 2008 |

Jeff BleijerveldYesterday we announced through the denominational email list the appointment of Jeff Bleijerveld (right, with his wife, Charlene) as the new Director of Global Ministries. Starting March 3, he’ll head up our missions work, joining a staff which already includes Donna Hollopeter and Darlene Burkett.

Jeff is currently Assistant Director of World Partners USA, the mission arm of the Missionary Church USA, with headquarters just up the road in Fort Wayne, Ind. He is an ordained minister in the Missionary Church, served eight years as a missionary in Spain, has served as a pastor at two churches, and has worked with World Partners USA since 2001. His responsibilities at World Partners include managing the daily operations and all human resource functions for the 130 staff (missionaries mostly) scattered around the world. He is fluent in Spanish, which will be a big plus for us, since we have so much work in Central America.

I feel confident that Jeff is the right person for the job, and believe God will use him to take our missions efforts to the next level. I’m excited that God provided someone of Jeff’s caliber.

The Director of Global Ministries is a staff position, and as bishop, I am responsible for appointing all staff. Until 2005 we elected the Director of Global Ministries; Gary Dilley, who served in that role until January of this year (when he became senior pastor of College Park UB church in Huntington, Ind.), was originally elected in 2001, but then appointed by me in 2005. So it was my responsibility to appoint a replacement for Gary.
Let me tell you a little about the process we used in filling the position.
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06 Feb

February 6, 2008 |

Jeff Bleijerveld, currently Assistant Director of World Partners USA, has been appointed by Bishop Ron Ramsey as the new Director of Global Ministries. He will begin his new duties on March 3, replacing Gary Dilley, who served in that position since 2001. Gary stepped down, effective January 21, to accept the senior pastor role at College Park UB church in Huntington, Ind.

Jeff and Charlene Bleijerveld
Jeff and Charlene Bleijerveld

Jeff has been an ordained minister in the Missionary Church for 23 years, was a missionary in Spain for eight years with World Partners Canada, has served as a pastor at two churches, and came to his current position in 2001. At World Partners USA, Jeff has been responsible for the daily operations, managed all human resources functions for the 130 staff scattered around the world, developed and supervised volunteer programs, worked with missionaries in raising their support, and much more. Being fluent in Spanish, he frequently traveled to South American, Central America, and Europe, and also served as Hispanic Liaison to churches in the United States and abroad. He brings a wealth of experience, knowledge, and ability to the position.

Jeff, a Canadian citizen, holds a Theology degree from Emmanuel Bible College in Kitchener, Ontario, and a Masters in Management from Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Ind.

“Gary Dilley did much to advance our mission program,” says Bishop Ron Ramsey, “and he is highly respected throughout the denomination, not only in the United States but in our many partnering countries. We appreciate his service to the church, and wish him well as he returns to the pastorate. We knew it would be difficult to replace him.”
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