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10 Jul

July 10, 2007 |

Alan and Doris MacDonaldAlan and Doris MacDonald left Wycliffe Bible Translators at the end of 2006 after over 30 years of service in the Philippines, Hong Kong, and several stateside assignments. no longer serving as missionaries with Wycliffe Bible Translators. Alan is now Pastor of Global Engagement at Fairfax Community Church in Fairfax, Va.

The Braeded ChordDoris is half of the music group The Braeded Chord, whose music has been described as “a mixture of folks-rock-gospel-blues.” She and Sharon Dennis have now released three albums, the latest one being “Radio Lane” in October 2006. In February, The Braeded Chord was awarded a WAMMIE (Washington Area Musicians Association) for Best Gospel/Inspiration Group of 2006, the second year in a row they received this award. Bob Schieffer, CBS newsman, who calls himself a “fledgling songwriter,” hosted the ceremony. Doris and Sharon serve as worship leaders for Church of the Word in Gainesville, Va., and perform in local coffeehouses, churches, festivals, and benefits. They have also been the featured musicians at several United Brethren missions events.

Doris is the granddaughter of Dr. Y. T. Chiu, founder of many UB churches in Hong Kong and a former professor at Huntington University. She grew up in the Glendale UB church in Glendale, Calif.

10 Jul

July 10, 2007 |

michaelsessions.jpgHillsdale, Mich., has the nation’s only teenage mayor, which has earned him celebrity status. Mayor Michael Sessions (right) has appeared on Letterman, Good Morning America, etc. after winning election as a write-in candidate by two votes while still a high school senior. Now a 19-year-old freshman at Hillsdale College, Mayor Sessions accepted an invitation to the Dedication Service of the Ministry Office Center of the Hillsdale UB Church on Febuary 25. Bishop Ramsey was the keynote speaker before a congregation of over 300 who braved a winter storm despite the cancellation of services by several churches in Hillsdale County.
 
The Ministry Office Center was the result of a seven month renovation of the former parsonage next door to the church. Pastor Smith’s new office is his former bedroom. The garage was enlarged and serves as a beautiful new classroom. All the staff have relocated to various rooms of the former house and the basement serves as a conference room. 

On Friend Day, March 25, Mayor Sessions returned to Hillsdale UB. Over 200 people in the first service witnessed the baptism of nine people. Over 300 attended the second service, which was followed with a “Friendship” potluck meal.

09 Jul

July 9, 2007 |

Olive Weaver (Rickersey), a former UB missionary in Sierra Leone, passed away on Friday, July 6, 2007. Olive’s Christian commitment led her to many years of mission work in Sierra Leone and Australia, as well as to teaching elementary children in Fort Erie, Ontario.

Olive’s husband, Tom, an Australian, passed away in 1996. Olive leaves behind four step-children and ten step-grandchildren.

The funeral will be held at 2 pm on Tuesday, July 10, at Grace UB Church in Sherkston, Ontario. Viewing will be Monday, 2-4 pm and 7-9 pm, at the Davidson Funeral Home (135 Clarence St., Port Colbourne, Ontario), and again on Tuesday 1-2 pm.

09 Jul

July 9, 2007 |

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Been awhile since I have made an entry to this blog. I’m afraid I only have excuses and not valid reasons. But I wanted to reflect a little bit about the recent National Conference 2007.
First, let me say that it far exceeded my expectations. Maybe I had low expectations, but I don’t think so. Rather, I believe that God showed up in power at the conference.

While I realize that parts of the overall program were not received as well as others, the evaluations filled out by the attenders were extremely positive. For that I am thankful. I felt it was a great time for the United Brethren Church, a much-needed time of challenge, inspiration, fun, and seeing old friends. But I really believe God did something in our hearts during those days. I have great optimism for our future. Especially if we take to heart what we heard about evangelism and discipleship…which should be the emphasis of a church’s ministry.

I know we have had discussion in the past about small churches and large churches. But in reading the Great Commission again, I don’t find anything about size there. It just says we are to make disciples. Making disciples involves evangelism, education, and enlisting (baptism) of those who do not yet follow Jesus. The Great Commission is not a large church thing or a big church thing. It is an obedience thing.

Regardless of the size of a church, I really don’t understand how anyone can believe they are being obedient to Jesus when year after year the annual report shows no converts or baptisms. It really isn’t about size. It is about being obedient to Jesus. I don’t think it is even a church thing. It really is an individual thing. So the question is not so much about the church but about me as an individual. Is my life being lived so that people are coming to Christ and being built up in him because of my Christian walk. Isn’t that the real issue?

Really, what is the church but the people? The church isn’t an organization, although it needs to be organized. So when churches report zero conversions and zero baptisms, isn’t that a reflection on the individuals in that church? I know that sounds hard, but isn’t it the truth?

One thing that really blessed my heart at the National Conference was the number of people who nailed something to the cross on Sunday. That was a moving time for me. I was at the front and could hear how people pounded the nail into their slip of paper to pin it to the cross. Tears were shed as hearts were moved. Some people have reported to me what they nailed to the cross and the difference that commitment has made in their lives. That was as near “revival” as I have been for some time, and quite honestly I covet that more and more in my life and in the life of our church. We really do need a real revival.

While I appreciated that time, I know that the real test of revival is when we all get back home. Did anything change about how I live my life, how I react to my unsaved friends and relatives, how I go about my everyday life? We need a revival in many of our churches so that hearts will be changed…but the revival can’t stay in the church building. We must take it to our communities, to the barber shop or beauty shop, to the service station when we buy our gas, to the neighbor next door, to the person who takes our money at the local Burger King, to the classmate in school, to the family reunion…. “As you go about from place to place, don’t forget, MAKE Disciples.” When we truly get serious about that, we will see revival like we have not experienced it ever before. I don’t know about you, but my heart yearns for that!

25 Jun

June 25, 2007 |

Dillman UB church is presenting its cantata “Liberty” on Sunday, July 8, at 6 p.m. The performance will be held at College Park UB church in Huntington, Ind.

Dillman originally did this cantata on the opening night of Central Conference several years ago. They later added some characters and performed it at the Life Center in Bluffton, Ind., for a few years. Now, after taking a few years off, they have revived it. They needed a larger venue than Dillman’s church, and College Park offered their facility.

There is no admission fee, but a free will offering will be taken.

17 Jun

June 17, 2007 |

Years ago I was teaching an all men’s Sunday school class and wanted to have them turn to some Scriptures that were not in the quarterly they used. Only one man had a Bible with him. I encouraged them to set the example by bringing their Bibles, noting that a Christian without his Bible is like a soldier on the field without his gun and food. I also realized that if they didn’t carry their Bibles with them to church, they probably weren’t picking them up at home, either.

After the class, one of the regular teachers challenged me. He said he didn’t always see me pick up a hymnal in church and compared the two. I told him that I had those hymns memorized, and if the men memorized the Scriptures and could recite them at any time, I was fine with that. He walked away.

I am finishing John MacArthur’s newest book The Truth War. Throughout history, God’s people faced popularized ideas and doctrines that were not biblically sound. We are to be, as MacArthur says, “warriors for the truth,” not looking to pick theological fights, but also not afraid to confront error. I commend the book to you.

I ask my fellow teachers to take their role seriously in preparing God’s people for the battle for truth. I am reminded of Paul’s admonition to Timothy, “Preach the Word.” Line by line, verse by verse, book by book, concept by concept. The Body is ill and ill-prepared because we are not teaching well. Popularized programming and care ministries do little to strengthen the Church. We need to know the truth, and the truth will set us free. So place your major emphasis on studying to show yourselves approved, a workman that need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth. And teach your people to do the same. The clouds of greater war days, the end days, the last days, are forming. And we will be held accountable for how we have prepared God’s people for it.

13 Jun

June 13, 2007 |

Mrs. Margaretta Manchey passed away on June 2 at age 95. She was recognized by the Guinness book of World Records for having played the organ at her home church for 77 years. Her home church is Otterbein Church in Waynesboro, Pa. (a United Brethren congregation until withdrawing in 2005).

She also played the organ for campmeetings in the old tabernacle at Rhodes Grove Camp for decades.  The funeral was held June 8 at Five Forks Brethren in Christ Church in Waynesboro.

11 Jun

June 11, 2007 |

The 2007 US National Conference, meeting on June 1 in Huron, Ohio, gave official approval to five changes to the Constitution. All five proposed changes, called referenda, were advanced by the 2005 US National Conference and voted upon by members of all UB churches in the United States during February 2007.

Each referendum received at least 90% of the votes cast. Here are the complete results:

Votes Cast Yes No % Yes
Referendum 1: Preamble 5,599 5,227 373 93%
Referendum 2: Delegates 5,611 5,046 565 90%
Referendum 3: Duties 5,604 5,110 494 91%
Referendum 4: Election of Bishop 5,604 5,142 462 92%
Referendum 5: Amendments 5,586 5,219 367 93%

The delegates responded by giving their assent with comparable percentages (a two-thirds vote is needed to make a referendum official).

The ramifications of these referenda are:

1. Referendum 1 removed some language from the preamble which the new structure adopted in 2005 makes obsolete (specifically, reference to annual conferences).
(more…)

11 Jun

June 11, 2007 |

The US National Conference approved two changes to the National Church Covenant, which United Brethren churches must sign every two years (2007 was the first year for that). The covenant consists of eight points. By action of the 2007 US National Conference, points 5 and 8 have been removed.

Point 5 says, “They are intererested in partnering with other like-minded churches.” It was explained that this point is vague and nobody is sure exactly what it means (nor how to force churches to comply with this).

Point 8 says, “They support the work of the camps, university, and other ministries of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, USA.” This line was added from the floor of the 2005 National Conference. Pat Jones, Director of Healthy Church Ministries, explained that this is the only part of the covenant which is programmatic in nature, in that it requires supporting two “programs” of the church–the camps and university.

He pointed out that most of the camps are now separate entities from the denomination, organized with their own board of directors; so that part was already obsolete. He stressed that there is no intention of weakening the relationship with Huntington University.

This issue received a good deal of discussion at the spring 2007 Executive Leadership Team, and the ELT passed on the recommendation that item 8 be removed. The original desire with the covenant was to keep program issues out and stick mainly to matters of philosophy and relationship. If we include the camps and college, why not also specifically name Global Ministries and church multiplication, which are arguably more central to the work of local churches? Other potential additions might include Women’s Ministries, Bible quizzing, and the Youthworkers Summit.

There was some discussion, but not much. Both points 5 and 8 were removed. So when local churches are asked to once again sign the covenant in early 2009, it will look like the following, but without the two points in bold:

Every congregation shall…reaffirm their support of and membership in the US National Conference by signing a covenant which includes affirmation of these points:

  1. They are committed to the Confession of Faith.
  2. They agree with the core values of the United Brethren in Christ, International.
  3. They agree to abide by the Constitution and Discipline of the US National Conference.
  4. They are passionate about fulfilling the Great Commission through their local church.
  5. They are interested in partnering with other like-minded churches.
  6. They support the ministry and mission of the United Brethren Church, USA, through the annual partnership fee.
  7. They will participate in a cluster.
  8. They support the work of the camps, university, and other ministries of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, USA.

10 Jun

June 10, 2007 |

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The past few days I have enjoyed reflecting on National Conference. It was such a joy to watch the interactions of all the attendees with each other. Sharing ideas, renewing friendships, discussing the speaker’s points, praying for each other, simply caring for each other. It was a beautiful snapshot of the Body of Christ.

The most potent memory for me will be Sunday morning. After some time of joyous, focused worship, we took time to give opportunity for us to write out on a piece of paper any sins that are easily entangling our lives or the lives of our churches. And we nailed them to the cross in confession before celebrating communion.

I had a powerful God moment in that. After introducing the process, I sat down on the edge of the stage, praying and reading Scripture. Periodically I would look up and watch. The lines on each side continued to grow and grow and grow. Some nailed their papers gently. Others angrily nail them to the cross, seemingly scorning the shame of it all. But hundreds upon hundreds of us brought things to the right place. I did. And freedom was found in Christ, once again.

Following, I watched (and personally experienced) as people went to each other, settling debts or asking forgiveness. Joy was abundant, the joy of the Lord. And we all were strengthened for it. The days ahead will require this same Spirit. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. (Ps. 51:17) And then the Bishop reminded us of all the wonderful blessings and privileges that are ours in Jesus. The mission, the power, the desires. All found in our positional relationship to Jesus Christ.

Now we continue moving forward, renewed in the strength of Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church.

So what was your take away? We’d like to hear from you. What were your God moments? What was most encouraging? What challenged you the most? What changed you and your fellow delegates?