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Significant progress is occurring on the buildings and other preparations for opening the orphanage for Here’s Hope Ministries in Belize. Much work is being done through Bob Eberly, from Greencastle, Pa., and other supporters.
The 2004 VBS project was the Living Water Christian School in Big Laurel, Kentucky. We are pleased that $11,000 was received.
The disastrous hurricanes in September prompted us to create relief funds for Haiti, Jamaica, and Florida. Some people and churches contributed directly. Here is a summary of the money channeled through the United Brethren offices as of early October:
Work crews will go to Jamaica in early 2005 and possibly to Haiti. Haiti, struck by two hurricanes, suffered grave damage. Several UB churches were destroyed, some UB people were killed, and other UBs lost their homes and possessions. Charley wiped out the entire village where one of our churches was located, and the whole population must relocate.
In Jamaica, several of our churches lost parts of their roofs, as did several parsonages. Seven buildings at Jamaica Bible College suffered roof damage.
October 24 was the inaugural service for the Cornerstone Community Church (Decatur, Ind.). The Missionary Church congregation in Decatur closed its ministry and has now joined with our United Brethren congregation. Even though the churches have been working cooperatively for several months, this service marked the official transition from two congregations into one new one. Mark Beers, an ordained UB minister, is the pastor of this church.
The Huntington College Board of Trustees voted October 14 to change the name of the institution to Huntington University.
The campus will continue to operate as Huntington College for the next several months, says President G. Blair Dowden. A task force will be appointed to manage the transition to the new name, which will probably occur in mid-2005.
“Huntington will continue to be an institution that stresses the Christian faith and the liberal arts as foundational for our educational program,‚Äù Dowden said. ‚ÄúOur name may change; our mission will not.”
The decision comes after a year-long study.
George Rhodifer has been assigned to the Olivet UB church in New Lebanon, Ohio, effective October 10. He was previously serving the Hillsdale UB church in St. Mary’s, Ohio. Hillsdale will be supplied on a week-to-week basis while a new pastor is sought.
Harvest UB church (Toledo, Ohio) has changed its name to NorthPoint Church. (Once upon a time, it was called Harvest Lane UB church). Brad Wotring is the pastor.
Henry Favorite has resigned as pastor at First Love UB, effective October 3. He has accepted a Missionary Church position in northwest Ohio and will begin there on October 4.
On September 17, Rev. Winston Smith, Superintendent of Jamaica Conference, wrote, “I visited most of the worse hit areas (Clarendon, Manchester and St. Andrew) and here is an update of the damages done to our people and churches:
