The Hillsdale UB Church (Hillsdale, Mich.) dedicated its new Ministry Office Center on Sunday morning, February 25. The Ministry Office Center, located in the former parsonage, is located next to the church. It now houses a large classroom and offices for all of the church staff.

In a five-year period, Hillsdale’s average attendance grew from 200-500. This created the need to add classroom, plus expand the lobby, nursery, and other areas. Moving the church offices into the former parsonage freed up space in the church building.

Bishop Ron Ramsey spoke at the dedication. An open house followed at both the Ministry Office Center and the renovated Student Ministries Center on the church’s second floor.

Pam and I have a precious two-and-a-half year old great nephew by the name of Karson Cabe. Karson’s dad, Kraig, is the regional director for Fellowship of Christian Athletes in Northern Indiana. His mom, Christy, was the children’s ministry director at Emmanuel Community Church and has been a tremendous mother. Karson’s Miller grandparents are Denny and Karin. Denny is senior pastor of Emmanuel Community Church in Fort Wayne, Ind. His great-grandpa Ray was our Bishop, with Lanie serving by his side for over 43 years of ministry. His Cabe grandparents are Lee and Melody. They are a wonderful Christian couple that have lovingly served the Lord in many ways and raised their children to faithfully serve the Lord.

Karson loves to play with Thomas the Train. And he loves Jesus. His prayer at bedtime a couple weeks ago signed off, “I love you Jesus, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.” Not bad for a two-and-a-half year old.

Last week, the world seemed to stop as the doctor told Christy that blood work indicated Karson has leukemia. They went immediately to Riley Children’s Hospital, the diagnosis was confirmed, and Karson began his three-year journey of chemotherapy. A terrible disease is loose in his body, and without treatment it will kill him. With proper treatment comes eradication of the problem and life.

We appreciate your prayers.

For all of us, nothing else is important right now next to doing everything possible to make sure that little man gets healthy and lives a normal life.

Isn’t that a parallel of how we should feel about loved ones we know who don’t know Jesus? They have a terrible disease loose in them. There is a treatment plan that will bring healing, but it doesn’t look desirable at the start. Life by necessity will change because of fighting this disease. And when we are burdened by the knowledge of their condition, no effort seems too sacrificial in helping or supporting the cause of getting them healthy. Nothing else is important. Nothing.

On the other side of the equation, the promises, grace, strength, and confidence we have in Christ are providing the “peace that passes understanding.” Our confidence and hope lie solely in the hands of the One who gave His own Son for us. And by His stripes, we are healed.

Karson learned a new song in the days leading up to his diagnosis. He sang it over an iChat date with our daughter Jalonna. “This is the day, this is the day that the Lord has made, that the Lord has made. ….”

That is the heart of an innocent little boy that loves and trusts Jesus without even being aware of what is going on in him. It is a heart that helps us remember and trust. That is Karson’s Gospel for us. We can confidently trust Jesus no matter what.

A team of three staff members and 11 Huntington University students traveled to China during the 2007 January Term for a 23-day experiential learning trip. Dr. Luke Fetters, associate professor of ministry and missions, and Campus Pastor Bill Fisher took the students to seven Chinese cities to learn about Christianity in China.

The team traveled to Hong Kong, Macau, Zhouhai, Guangzhou, Fuzhou, Nanjing, and Beijing, covering an estimated 2000 miles.

Fetters wanted students to understand the complexity of the Christian experience in modern day China. “The general stereotype among Americans of the church in China is secret meetings, smuggling of Bibles, fear, and police,” said Fetters. “But in reality there is a government-regulated legal church with 20 million members. There is also a government-recognized printing company that has printed 15 million Bibles.”
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Huntington University approved a 3% increase for fulltime undergraduate tuition for 2007-2008. Annual tuition at Huntington University is currently $18,420. The increase amounts to $280 more per semester for fulltime undergrads.
Across the United States, the average tuition and fees at four-year private institutions this year is $22,218, reflecting an average increase of 5.9% over 2005-2006, according to College Board’s 2006-2007 annual survey of colleges.

Two groups of students spent their January Term, January 8-24, at United Brethren camps–16 students at the Michindoh Camp and Conference Center in Hillsdale, Mich., and ten students at Camp Living Waters in Luther, Mich.

Camp Michindoh. Dr. Bill Bordeaux (right), professor of chemistry, took 16 students to Camp Michindoh, where they worked with fifth and sixth graders from Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana schools. The class was called “Outdoor Environmental Education for Children.”

The students served as cabin leaders for 10-12 elementary students, helped the camp staff in classroom and laboratory settings, and taught team-building classes.
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Katie Jo Brown sits in the middle of the dull white classroom reading out loud. All around her is a mob of 36 children, 7-9 year-olds, all scrambling on top of her to point out the misplaced silly objects in the book. Their eyes are wide with wonder as they glance at the colorful pages trying to be the first one to find the hidden pieces.

Brown, a junior elementary education major from Eaton Rapids, Mich., was among seven Huntington University students who spent their two-and-a-half week January Term in Arizona. They were led by Kathy Turner, instructor in education.

The trip was offered to junior students who were required to have a practicum in a minority setting. Students that didn’t participate in the multi-cultural trip will be placed in a school in Fort Wayne, Ind.
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During Huntington University’s January Term, many students take advantage of trips offered by departments or professors. This year’s J-Term offered eight off-campus and 25 on-campus classes spanning the two-and-a-half weeks (January 8-24), giving students a chance to delve in-depth into a single subject.

One group traveled to Italy to study the country’s rich art culture. The group consisted of 29 students, two faculty members, and three non-student adults. Over the course of their trip, the group visited Venice, Florence, Siena, San Gimignano and Rome, gaining an understanding of the historical art and architecture. The group visited such landmarks as St. Mark’s Cathedral, the Guggenheim Museum, and St. Peter’s Basilica.

Rebecca Coffman, professor of art, and Ken Hopper, assistant professor of art, designed the trip so that students would learn to appreciate the different art styles.

Junior Melissa Shepard, an entrepreneurship/small business major from Brooklyn, Mich., said of her Italy experience, “The friendships and experiences will be a memory that I will never forget, and when I look back on college as I grow older, I will always have Italy as a climax to my experience in college.”

Irving Fryar, a former NFL wide receiver with the New England Patriots and five-time Pro Bowler, will speak to a group of teens fasting for world hunger at the Atlantic Avenue UB church in Franklin, Pa.

Fryar will be the guest speaker for the church’s second annual charity dinner and sports auction on Friday, February 23. All proceeds from the dinner will benefit the World Vision 30-hour Famine world hunger program.