Emmanuel Community UB church in Fort Wayne, Ind., will host a national Christian college fair on October 5, from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. The event will bring together representatives from about 30 other Christian colleges and university from across North America to answer questions and provide information to students and parents. Huntington University will host the event for the North American Coalition for Christian Admission Professionals.  Approximately 30 other Christian colleges and universities from across North America will be present to answer questions and provide information to students and parents.
 
Parents and students will be able to attend sessions at 6:45 and 7:45 designed to inform them about the financial aid process. these workshops will provide parents with the latest information on making the college experience feasible and affordable. Senior students will also have the opportunity to register to win a $500 NACCAP scholarship.  
 
The NACCAP headquarters ranked the 2005 Fort Wayne fair first out of 100. Each fair is ranked on overall attendance, number of colleges and universities that sign up, and overall satisfaction of attendees. 
 
For more information about the fair, visit www.naccap.org, or contact Amy Mattox, the coordinator, at 260.359.4013. This event is free and open to the public. Emmanuel Community Church is located at 12222 U.S. Hwy. 24 W. on the southwest side of Fort Wayne.

George Rhodifer reports on the results of a fundraiser held Saturday, September 16, to benefit the Park Layne UB church of New Carlisle, Ohio, which was destroyed on June 6 by an arson fire. He writes:

“The fund raiseer was very successful and was attended by about 100 people. The music was great and the people enjoyed it under a tent with the sides rolled up. They had crafts and much food for a donation. One of the music groups sold their CDs but donated the money to the church even though they were not getting any money for there participation.

“The donations reached $795. That money was given to the Park Layne Rebuilding fund. The congregation plans to break ground the first week of October.”

GaryJen_200.jpgIn a short-term world, we’re grateful for those who make long-term contributions to God’s work. Jennifer Blandin has completed ten years as one of our missionaries in Macau. Director Gary Dilley (right, with Jen), during his August trip to Macau, presented a framed certificate recognizing Jen’s ten years of service there. The presentation was made at the new Living Stone UB church on Taipa Island. Jen is from the Mainstreet UB church in Walbridge, Ohio.

We need another 15 sponsors for children in India, so they can attend school. This is part of what is called the Beautiful Family–children of parents who have leprosy or AIDS. Sponsorship for one child involves $20 a month ($240 a year). If interested, contact Darlene Burkett in Global Ministries.

We need a teacher to serve in Macau in 2007, from March 1 to June 15 (or longer). The responsibilities include teaching in the English Language Program, and helping with Bible studies and children’s ministries. A college degree (doesn’t need to be a teaching degree) is required for a work permit. If interested, please contact Global Ministries. We would need to begin working very soon on acquiring the permit.

A 4.5 minute video or DVD is available from Global Ministries. It features Director Gary Dilley giving an update on our investigation into mainland China. This video was made for Thank Offering, but is equally suitable for a short UB mission update in your worship service, apart from Thank Offering. If you’d like a copy, contact Darlene Burkett.

Thanks to everyone who participated in this year’s “Kids Helping Kids” VBS project. We have received $10,850 so far. You are making a meaningful difference in the lives of kids in India, Haiti, and the Philippines who really need your assistance. In Haiti, 20 children from a new church plant have enrolled in school because of the VBS gifts. Additional funds will be going to Haiti, as well as to the Philippines to help pastoral families, and to India to help children with AIDS.

The Cumberland Times-News of West Virginia carried a September 15 article about Mark Elliott, son of Pastor Daryl and Ruth Elliott of Fountain UB Church in Keyser, W. Va. Mark excels in academics (now a semi-finalist in a national merit scholarship program, plus various other honors), sports (regional doubles tennis champ), and music (third-chair trumpet in the All-State band).

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A major project will begin in January: working with the Jamaica Conference church camp at Malvern. One of their main buildings, a 100-year-old wooden structure (above)), has become unsafe. The goal is to replace this building with a cement structure in time for their summer children’s ministry.

Heart O’ the Lakes Church (Brooklyn, Mich.) and Mainstreet Church (Walbridge, Ohio) have been involved with the camp for years. They, again, are rising up to help their brothers and sisters in Christ, but will need help from other UB churches. This ambitious project will take about six weeks to complete.

If you or your church are interested in helping, please contact Donna Hollopeter at Global Ministries or Don Coward (Heart O’ the Lakes) at 517-529-4462.

Huntington University has a record enrollment of 1,084 for the fall semester of the 2006-2007 school year. That includes 251 first-time freshman, a 10 percent increase over last year and topping the previous high of 240. Students are coming from 30 states, and 36 students come from 16 countries beyond the United States.

“Several factors contributed to our record enrollment,” said Jeff Berggren, vice president of enrollment management and marketing. “Our new academic programs accounted for a significant part of the increase in our freshman class over last fall. Affordability was also a significant factor. Our tuition has risen only two percent since the fall of 2004.”

“When asked why they chose Huntington University, the most consistent theme with these students is our unique academic programs,” Berggren said. “For example, our major in digital media arts brought students from places like California, Texas and Maine. Film studies attracted a student from Alaska, and theatre design and technology brought a student from Montana.”

The University has set a goal of 2000 students by 2016.

Total Enrollment (Headcount)
2006 2005 2004 2003
Undergraduate 861 844 819 838
Graduate 87 70 60 53
EXCEL (Adult) 136 105 96 89
Total 1084 1019 975 980