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12 Jul

July 12, 2018 |

The 5th Annual Marriage Retreat for United Brethren Pastoral Couples will be held August 13-15 at Rhodes Grove Camp & Conference Center in Chambersburg, Pa.

This retreat is reserved for pastors and spouses serving in United Brethren in Christ churches. Please plan to separate yourselves from the needs of everyday life and invest in your marriage.

There is no cost. This three-day, two-night retreat is sponsored in full by the United Brethren National Office, the United Brethren Association for Church Development, and Rhodes Grove Camp.

The retreat topic is “Christian Marriage from the Ground Up.” It will focus on God’s unapologetic blueprint for marriage that sustains creation and reveals new creation.

The keynote speakers are Michael & Yvonne Wentz. During their 33 years of marriage, they have raised three boys and were involved in four church plants. Michael is now senior pastor of Prince Street UB church in Shippensburg, Pa. Yvonne (M.S. Math Education) is K-12 Math Supervisor in the Chambersburg School District.

11 Jul

July 11, 2018 |


The United Brethren denomination has been chosen to participate in a program which offers free financial health online courses and other resources. These are designed to help UB pastors, leaders, and congregations in the areas of personal finances and church generosity.

This is made possible because we are a member denomination of the National Association of Evangelicals. The Lilly Endowment provided a generous grant to the NAE to help member denominations improve the financial health of their pastors and churches.

The NAE set up a webpage for United Brethren which tells all about the program. The page includes a video by Bishop Todd Fetters.

An online course on Personal Finances begins in September, and a course for the broader church starts in January. Please register by August 31 to take advantage of these courses.

September: Personal Finances
This free online course begins in September, and includes six monthly sessions. It was specifically created for pastors and spouses, but any interested church staff, leaders, or members will also benefit from this training. The monthly sessions can be done at home on your own schedule.

Learn from Christian financial experts how to:

  • Pay off debts.
  • Increase savings.
  • Track and decrease expenses.
  • Prepare for retirement.
  • Find affordable healthcare.
  • Set financial goals.
  • Increase your giving.

January: Church Generosity
This free online course will help you and your key leaders determine the best ways to improve the generosity and financial health of the people in your church.

The course was specifically created for a pastor and a group of lay leaders to do together. The six monthly sessions take 20-45 minutes to complete, depending on the amount of discussion.

Various resources—brochures, planning calendar, devotionals—will be available to those who register.

Visa eGift Cards
A limited number of $100 and $200 Visa eGift cards will be given to those who complete the courses.

Grants for Ministers
Grant funds will provide several kinds of financial assistance to pastors.

  • Medical bill assistance grants of $2000 for unpaid medical bills of $2000 (up to 5 recipients).
  • Student loan grants for church planters to help with school loan repayment.
  • Retirement savings jump start grants of up to $1000.
  • Emergency fund jump start grants of up to $500.

Create an account at NAEFinancialHealth.org/UB by August 31, 2018.

 

09 Jul

July 9, 2018 |

L-r: Jim Bolich, Ray Seilhamer, Jason Bakker, Arthur Page, Michael Wentz, Jason Holliday, Gary Reiber.

Chambersburg, Pa.
Jim Bolich was appointed senior pastor of Mount Pleasant UB church (Chambersburg, Pa.) effective July 1, 2018. He had been pastor of Prince Street UB church (Shippensburg, Pa.) since 2002. Ray and Ruth Seilhamer completed a two-year interim assignment at Mount Pleasant on June 24, and have moved back to their home in Roanoke, Ind.

Chambersburg, Pa.
Jason Bakker was appointed senior pastor of Salem UB church (Chambersburg, Pa.) effective July 1, 2018. He had served as associate pastor at Salem since 2007, and was ordained in 2011. He takes the place of Arthur Page, who resigned effective July 1 after serving Salem since 2005.

Shippensburg, Pa.
Michael Wentz has been appointed senior pastor of Prince Street UB church (Shippensburg, Pa.) effective July 1, 2018. He had previously pastored United Brethren churches 1995-2008, and was ordained in 1997, after which he was employed as a health care manager.

Philomath, Ore.
Aaron de Neui (pronounce dəˈnī) was appointed senior pastor of Philomath Community Church (Philomath, Ore.) effective August 1, 2018. Rick Finley retired effective July 29, 2018, after 36 years in United Brethren ministry in Washington and Oregon, including 1989-2018 as pastor of Philomath.

Fort Wayne, Ind.
Jason Holliday was appointed senior pastor of Living Grace Community Church (Fort Wayne, Ind.) effective July 23. He had served on staff at Emmanuel UB church (Fort Wayne) since 2004, and was ordained in 2013. Gary Reiber resigned after pastoring Living Grace (formerly Union Chapel) since 2002, and after having served in UB ministry since 1993.

09 Jul

July 9, 2018 |

On Monday, July 2, Dwight Kuntz, UB missionary in Jamaica, was rushed back to Indiana and taken to the Intensive Care Unit of Parkview North Hospital in Fort Wayne, Ind. He was diagnosed with pneumonia, dehydration, renal failure, and a toxic virus called Humanmetanumovirus.

He is now doing much better. Dwight’s wife, Patti, reported the following on Sunday, July 8: “It seemed like overnight, everything changed – seemed like it anyway. I was in awe of how quickly Dwight has gone from being at death’s door on Monday night, critical state, to breathing air on his own, moving, talking, eating, and now watching American Pickers on TV.”

A year-and-a-half ago, Dwight was recovering from cancer and renal failure. Patti said, “Because this is the second time his kidneys have failed, he may need to be on dialysis for a few months.”

Please keep Dwight and Patti in your prayers as Dwight continues healing.

25 Jun

June 25, 2018 |

Rev. Martin Magnus

Rev. Martin Magnus passed at 3:45 a.m. on Sunday, June 24, 2018, in Kitchener, Ontario. He was 92 years old.

Visitation with the family: 2-4 pm on Thursday, June 28, 2018.
Memorial service date: 6:30 pm on Thursday, June 28, 2018.
Visitation and memorial service location: Stanley Park Community Church, 9 Dreger Avenue at Ottawa Street, Kitchener, ON. N2A 2A4

Martin was a United Brethren pastor in Ontario for 30 years and in Michigan for six years. He was also a conference superintendent for 11 years. Three times he was a Canadian delegate to the international General Conference, where he also received votes for bishop.

His pastorates in Ontario included Garrison Road (Fort Erie), Stevensville, Grace (Sherkston), Stanley Park (Kitchener), Shiloh (Tiverton) and Zion (North Bruce) churches.

He and his wife Lois, who passed away in 2012, raised five children. He had 13 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Son Brian Magnus wrote, “He had fallen from his adult tricycle three weeks before and slowly deteriorated since then. The last few days were spent with family by his side talking to him and singing God’s praises. Dad was 92 years old, and right up until his fall he lived independently in his own house and travelled to church and to get groceries on his trike.”

Two of Martin’s sons are ministers in the United Brethren Church in Canada. Brian, who is also bishop of the Canadian conference, is pastor of Parkwood Gardens UB church in Guelph. Randy is pastor of Roseville UB church in Ayr. Here are their addresses:

Brian K. Magnus
24 Lois Lane
Guelph, ON N1K 1W7
Canada

Randall J. Magnus
3 Marshall Street, R. R. 1
Ayr, ON N0B 1E0
Canada

19 Jun

June 19, 2018 |

The Mt. Olivet sanctuary.

Portraying circuit-riding bishop Christian Newcomer.

Memories posted on a bulletin board.

Mt. Olivet UB church (Mt. Solon, Va.) recently celebrated 125 years of ministry during its annual Homecoming service. The day’s events included a video message from Bishop Todd Fetters, recollections and testimonies from former pastors, special music, a portrayal of circuit riding preacher Christian Newcomer, a catered meal of barbequed pork and chicken, a display of many old photographs and stories from the past, the opening of a time capsule, a reading of the names of the veterans in the cemetery and taps on the bugle, and wonderful memories share with each other.

We thank God for a fantastic day of worship and fellowship, and look forward to what God has in store for the future.

06 Jun

June 6, 2018 |

HU President Sherilyn Emberton (right) with Margaret Pasko, the 2017-2018 Staff Member of the Year.

On Saturday May 19, Huntington University honored 324 graduates during its 120th Commencement ceremonies. The Commencement speaker was Daniel S. Wolgemuth, president and CEO of Youth For Christ USA. An honorary doctorate was conferred on 1980 graduate Larry Lance, CEO of Youth For Christ of Northern Indiana.

This year marked the first year of graduates from the Huntington University Haupert Institute for Agricultural Studies.

Each year after the academic year ends, Huntington University’s staff and faculty come together for a Celebration of Service to recognize the years of service they have given to the university. This is also a time to honor the Staff Member of the Year and the Faculty Member of the Year, as well as those retiring.

  • Margaret Pasko, Administrative Assistant to the VP for Student Life, was named Staff Member of the Year 2017-2018.
  • Dr. Dwight Brautigam, Professor of European History and Department Chair of History & Political Science,was named Professor of the Year 2017-2018.
  • Professors Terrell Peace and Linda Urschel are retiring after 20 and 34 years of service, respectively.

06 Jun

June 6, 2018 |

Registration is still open for a limited time for the 2018 UB Women’s Conference. This conference is filling up quickly, with 200 out of 250 spots already filled.

Date
September 28-30, 2018

Location
Renaissance Toledo Downtown Hotel
444 N Summit St.
Toledo, OH 43604

The UB Women’s Conference is held every two years. Nearly 250 women attended the 2016 conference in Gettysburg, Pa. As with the last few conferences, things get started on Friday afternoon and conclude on Sunday morning.

Register for the conference at UBWomen.org.

05 Jun

June 5, 2018 |

Marilyn and Roger Reeck (third and fourth from left) with their four daughters and their families, at the wedding of Amanda and Amila.

Amanda and Amila.

Amanda Reeck was married on May 20 to Amila Jayacody. The wedding was held in Comfort, Texas. Amanda is one of four daughters of Wycliffe missionaries Roger and Marilyn Reeck, who are endorsed missionaries with UB Global living in Honduras. Amila is from Sri Lanka.

Roger and Marilyn recently traveled to Colombia to participate in a workshop for 43 Venezuelan translators from six different Indian groups. Marilyn wrote, “Being with this dedicated group of people was truly a wonderful experience. It is sad to hear of their experiences back home in Venezuela–the lack of food and finances. The group of consultants each took gifts for them–clothing, toiletries, etc. Many said that they had not been able to purchase new clothes in several years. There were so many sad stories. The situation is very serious.”

Roger worked with two different translation groups, and Marilyn held Trauma Healing sessions and assisted in other ways.

Said Marilyn, “Praise God that it came at a time in their lives when the Venezuelans really have many hurts. Over one million people have left Venezuela and migrated to other countries in South America. Besides all the daily difficulties, families are now separated and hurting.”

On June 4, Roger and Marilyn traveled to Guinea Bissau in West Africa. They will be there unti July 7. Roger will check the Sonike and Flupe translations. The Sonike people are a Muslim group.

 

01 Jun

June 1, 2018 |

At the YFC center in Beirut

College Park UB church (Huntington, Ind.) has begun a partnership with YFC Lebanon and their work. A team of eight persons traveled May 31 to work with YFC targeting 12-18 year-olds.

Because it is Ramadan (the Muslim time of year during which there is strict fasting from sunrise to sunset), all activities will be after sunset. The team will break fast with Islamic families and then lead in camp-type activities. The teaching will be on the contrast between Muslim fasting and Christian fasting, with the desire to point students to Jesus.

They will also spend time with the YFC Beirut Center called Manara (Lighthouse). A quarter of a million people live in 1.6 square miles around the center. Students from many different ethnic groups and religious backgrounds come to the center to be tutored and receive ministry in various capacities. The team will do an outreach night on one evening to high school students (mostly Islamic in background), and one night with middle schoolers. The group return June 10.