(260) 356-2312
We received news that Reverend Thomas Mellott passed away on February 10, 2024.
Thomas was a graduate of Huntington College (1964) and served three United Brethren churches including Salem (Chambersburg), Devonshire (Harrisburg) and Otterbein (Greencastle).
A Celebration of Life service will be held on Thursday, April 4th at 10:00 am at Devonshire UB Church in Harrisburg. PA.
Rev. Mellott’s obituary can be found here.
Mt. Hermon United Brethren Church is a rural congregation located on the Ohio River, approximately 20 miles southeast of Athens, Ohio. We are looking for a pastor who will help us strengthen relationships, be a positive influence in our community, and enable us to G.R.O.W. (Gospel Centered Daily Living; Reaching Out to Others; Obediently Following Christ; Worship God Together).
Our next pastor will possess a shepherd’s heart and be an effective communicator. The ability to work well with a team, build a sense of fellowship in the congregation, and help people develop their spiritual lives are essential. Skill and experience in ministering with youth will be a benefit. It is also expected that this individual will maintain professional ministerial credentials with the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, USA.
Mt. Hermon is a congregation of approximately 100 people. We are financially stable and have modern facilities which will enable growth.
If this sounds like something for which God has been preparing you, please send a copy of your resume, a cover letter, and a current photo to [email protected].
Huntington University’s Veritas Theology Institute could be a great opportunity this summer for a high school student in your church to explore a deeper level of theological study and experience life on HU’s campus. This eight-day academy is taking place June 8-15, 2024, and is open to all high school sophomores and juniors. Applications are available online at www.veritastheology.org.
The tuition for this experience is $300 until May 1, 2024. After that early bird date, tuition will be $350. There is also an HU legacy tuition rate if one both of the applicant’s parent’s attended Huntington University. Only 30 spots are available for this summer’s institute, so consider the high school students in your world who might be interested in something a little more intense and interactive this summer and share this opportunity with them.
Find out more about the Veritas Theology Institute at Huntington University here.
We received the following note from our friends in the Canadian UB Conference with an update on the unrest in Haiti. As you read this, we invite you to join us in prayer that the hearts of the people would turn toward peace and restoration.
“Social order continues to deteriorate in Haiti. This past weekend, gangs took over several police locations and two jails. This is not far from where some UB churches are. It was a very violent takeover that left many dead; thankfully no UB members were killed.
A local UB shared this:
Things are very bad, I have never witnessed this kind of escalation during this 5 year crisis. The streets are now 10× more unsafe due to more than 4,000 convicts that are roaming the streets of the capital and probably the countryside by now.
The streets are empty, there’s been lots of gunshots echoing in every neighborhood within the capital.
Many police stations have been attacked, things are completely out of control.
Let us cry out in prayer for Haiti. A mighty move of God is needed to see things restored. Our friends in Haiti are hurting but it does comfort them to know we are praying.”
The Ministry Leader Summit returns to Daytona Beach, April 29 through May 3. This event offers opportunities for associate staff serving in United Brethren churches to pull away, slow down, and be refreshed. This year Dr. Terry Linhart (Bethel University, Arbor Research Group) will join us to share some insights from his book, The Self-Aware Leader.
Click here to learn more about the event and how you can register.
We received word that Howard Beaver passed away on February 16, 2024, in his home surrounded by family.
Howard served as the senior pastor at Christian Life Assembly of God for over 17 years and later served as the senior pastor at Mt. Olivet Church in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania from 2006 to 2012. In his retirement, he continued to serve as an elder at Otterbein United Brethren Church in Greencastle, Pennsylvania.
Let’s join in prayer with Howard’s family in their time of grief. Let’s also celebrate the impact that was made as a result of his faithfulness in following the Lord’s calling.
Howard’s obituary can be found here.
We have just released the first two episodes of a new podcast called UB Now featuring stories of what’s happening right now in local UB churches around the country. Episodes consist of interviews with local church pastors and ministry leaders discussing both the exciting things the Lord is doing in their midst as well as the challenging issues they may be facing.
Episode 1 features Ryan Koch (Hopewell UB), sharing his vision for strategic partnerships and relationally-centered ministries. In episode 2, you will hear from Ben Gladhill (Lake View Church) about the value of investing in people and empowering leaders.
Our hope is that these stories, and many more to come, might serve as a point of connection for church leaders walking through similar situations as well as a way for us to resource, encourage and learn from one another.
You can listen to UB Now online or on your favorite podcast app. New episodes will be released every 2 weeks. If you have a story you would love to share on the podcast reach out to Brian Biedenbach, Communications Director, via email at [email protected].
The next Idea to Action Symposium will be held Monday, February 12, 2024, from 10:00 am to 12:30 pm. The topic for this event is Missiologically-Informed Evangelism in Post-Christian America and will feature presenters Dave Datema (Frontier Ventures), Jordan Monson (Huntington University), and Andy Sikora (United Brethren National Office).
This Idea to Action symposium is an online only event and is free of charge for all participants. Registration is open until February 5.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Jamie Hoffman via email at [email protected] or by phone at 260-356-2311, ext 311.
The United Brethren Church history course is fast approaching and registration will be closing soon. The course, which will be held via Zoom, will take place November 27-28 from 9am to 4pm. Registration closes on Monday, November 13.
Click here to learn more about this course and complete your registration.
Baptism is a significant step of obedience in the life of a believer and on Sunday, October 29, Mount Pleasant Church in Chambersburg, PA celebrated with three individuals who took that step. As part of the celebration, Pastor Jim Bolich invited members of the congregation to come forward and dip their hands in the water in remembrance of their own baptisms.
The entirety of the service is available online. The baptisms begin approximately eight minutes into the service.
