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01 Feb

February 1, 2006 |

Ron Ramsey, Bishop
We talk a lot about it, but do we do it? Really, do we really even believe it? Yeah, I’m talking about prayer and fasting. I wonder what could happen if a number of our churches would seriously consider seeking God for a Spiritual Renewal and Harvest by setting aside time for prayer & fasting between now and, say, Easter.
Would you join me in this discipline just one day a week? I’m not a legalist! You can fast one meal or three, you can fast something other than a meal, like TV or ??? You can choose the day and time. But would you join me in this discipline just until Easter? Let’s agree together for a great Spiritual Harvest by Easter.
It has already begun for Trinity UB in Fostoria, Ohio. During 2005, they have seen 46 seekers at their altar and in homes. Not bad for a church of under 100. They won’t be under 100 for long!
By the way, at the office the staff are reading Oswald Chambers’ My Utmost For His Highest daily devotional each day and then we pray for you. That book has been around for a long time, but it is powerful! If you need a good devotional for 2006, you can’t go wrong with this one. Could be a good resource to prayer and fasting…What do you think?

01 Feb

February 1, 2006 |

Lester Smith, pastor of the Hillsdale UB church (Hillsdale, Mich)., reports, “We have hired a modern-day Aquila and Priscilla team: Phill (yes, he spells it with two l’s) and Michele (hers is one l) Vigil. Both are preacher’s kids and have degrees with experience in various forms of ministry. They applied for our one fulltime position in youth and worship as a couple.
“Although our church has hired husband and wife teams before, such as Scott and Tanya Hardaway, as well a my wife (executive secretary) and I, it has never been for the same position. The Vigils will work in the area of both youth and music. In their last church in California, one had the title of Youth and Music Minister and the other was Music and Youth Minister.”

01 Feb

February 1, 2006 |

Traci Slager, director of Anchor Community Church‘s Life Unlimited Youth Center (Fort Wayne, Ind.), is the mother of a baby boy. Nathanael was born Saturday morning, January 28, to she and Rob. The baby had some initial health problems which required a stay in ICU. However, Nathanael was able to come home from the hospital February 1.

31 Jan

January 31, 2006 |

Ron Ramsey, Bishop
I know none of us are anxious to have another church-wide election, but one will be necessary this fall. The purpose of this election will be to vote to change the constitution, thus completing the transition of our denomination that was started at the 2005 National Conference. You will be receiving lots of information about this election later in the year, but I just wanted to apprise you that it is coming.

30 Jan

January 30, 2006 |

Ron Ramsey, Bishop
It’s interesting how we take things that are biblical and make them a buzzword for a while. Today, spiritual formation is in danger of becoming a buzzword in our church cluture.
When I talk about spiritual formation, I think of Paul’s words about being conformed to the image of God’s son. In My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers asks, when you look in a mirror, do you see a reflection of Christ?
In our churches, we need people to take on the image of Christ. People who talk like Christ, walk like Christ, live like Christ — and are, in fact, little Christs. (That term “little Christs” is from Martin Luther.) When you hear me talk about spiritual renewal or spiritual tranformation in the church, that’s what I’m talking about. I want to convince people that we need to begin to look like Jesus. The Holy Spirit is in the business of transforming us into the image of Christ…So I ask, how much more do I look like Christ today than I did yesterday? Gets convicting real quick!

30 Jan

January 30, 2006 |

On January 25, Bishop Emeritus Paul Hirschy began a new job as a development officer at Huntington University. PaulHirschy_small.jpgHis primary responsibilities are to cultivate relationships and generate financial resources for the University. Hirschy will travel the tri-state area meeting with alumni and friends to share the Huntington University story.
“Paul is a sincere, compassionate, committed Christian man whose love of and historic ties to Huntington University make him a natural fit with the Advancement staff,” says Troy Irick, vice president for Advancement. “Paul and his wife Barbara have 40 years worth of ties to HU as students, alums, parents of alum,s and as a UB pastor and bishop of the church.”
Hirschy served from 2001-2005 as bishop of the United Brethren in Christ Church, USA. Prior to that position, he was the director of the Department of Church Services for the United Brethren in Christ Church beginning in 1982.
“I hope to serve Huntington University by making good contacts with people who believe in the University’s mission, and I plan to help build church and University relations through my extensive contacts with pastors and churches,” Hirschy said.
Hirschy and his wife, Barb, a schoolteacher, attend College Park Church in Huntington, Ind.

30 Jan

January 30, 2006 |

Mike Brown, pastor of the Franklin UB church in New Albany, Ohio, is currently looking for persons interested in joining a 10-day mission trip to the Philippines. Members of this team will participate in a week-long evangelistic crusade, working in partnership with the new Philippines National Conference. These crusades, held annually for the past 18 years, have consistently resulted in new churches being formed. Individuals with the following giftedness are needed: musicians, books, medical personnel, persons for testimonies, altar counselors, and miscellaneous helpers.

Date: March 29 – April 8, 2006
Cost: $1,350 per person

This is a chance to be among the first North American UBs to visit and become acquainted with the new Philippines National Conference, which became a member UB conference in June 2005. For more information about the trip, contact Rev. Mike Brown at 614-855-1391 (church phone) or 614-855-3276 (home phone).

30 Jan

January 30, 2006 |

Pat Jones, Director of Healthy Church Ministries
If it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
Romans 12 speaks about the grace of God given to us as His body so we mutually benefit each other. That is why we must work as a team for the common good. And here is a praise that illustrates that.
The Willshire, OH, church, now called Praise Point, opened their new building on New Year’s Day. In December, at their old facility, they had 90-100 people average. This past Sunday, if a group of youth and their leaders who were out on retreat were counted in, they had over 200. They are making sudden leaps that they are scrambling to keep up with.
In comes the team. They never functioned as a church of 200 before. They need help. We are working at assigning a coach to them who can help them figure out the decisions that have to be made, the processes that have to change, the steps to take to transition the congregation from a small to medium sized church, and the pitfalls to avoid. What a great problem!
Please pray for them as they address these challenges and seek to have the Lord continue the new work He has begun there.

27 Jan

January 27, 2006 |

Pat Jones, Director of Healthy Church Ministries

Thanks again to all who participated in our first cluster leader training. Just having you rub shoulders in the same room for a day and a half was a blessing to watch. YOU are key to making a difference in the lives of those you lead.

Please email me your cluster schedules as soon as possible. Pam and I would like to travel to be with you a time or two this year.
Some links you may find helpful:

If you want to do some demographic studies of your area, our Nazarene friends have a helpful tool at http://map.nazarene.org. Click on your state and if a Nazarene church is close by you can navigate around the site to get stats for your town.

Also, if you preach a message on the effects of pornography or have someone you are counseling who needs help, the following are some sites that have helpful info:

www.xxxchurch.com
www.pureonline.com
www.pureintimacy.org

As you lead, remember that the operative word is KINGDOM and everything we do has to be assessed on how it is positively contributing to the building of that Kingdom, His Kingdom and not ours.

Supporting you in prayer always!

26 Jan

January 26, 2006 |

“End of the Spear” is a version of the story of the five missionaries killed in Ecuador by the Auca Indians in 1956. This great missions film opens in local theaters beginning January 20. Note that it is rated PG-13 due to some spearing scenes.

Doug Weber, a UB endorsed missionary serving with HCJB Radio in Ecuador, comments, “I have seen ‘The End of the Spear.’ It is extremely well done! It would be a great thing to take a non Christian friend to, and could easily be used as an evangelistic tool. We got a sneak preview, as HCJB was involved in producing parts of the film. It is a fairly intense movie, but our kids all saw it, even our 6 year old. It was very thought provoking for even them and created some great after-movie conversations about the Lord, missions, missionaries, etc.”