18 Jan Just Released: UB Now, A Podcast to Connect and Resource Church Leaders

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].

07 Nov Registration Closing Soon

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.

13 Oct Death of Pastor Oliam Richard

Pastor Richard (left) with UB Haiti Superintendent Supreme (right)

We received word that Pastor Oliam Richard passed away on Sunday night. He was with his family in Paris. In an official announcement of his passing, Matt Robertshaw, the Global Outreach Director from the UB Church in Canada had this to say:

Pastor Richard was born in Haiti and studied theology in Jamaica before working with the Salvation Army in the United States. By 2000 he was leading a small evangelical denomination with churches in Paris and in Haiti. He connected with UB bishop Ray Seilhamer and joined the international United Brethren church. He served as superintendent of the United Brethren church in Haiti for 19 years. 

In the last few years he has spent time in Haiti and with his family in France, and continued to be involved with churches in both countries. He will be missed by many in Haiti, North America, France and beyond.

Services will be held in his honour in Paris on the 26th and 27th of October.

The family and communities in grief would appreciate your prayers.

Let’s join our brothers and sisters around the world in prayer for Pastor Richard’s family. Let’s also join in celebrating his life and the impact he made for the Kingdom.

26 Sep Design Your Own T-Shirt

This is your chance to put your graphic design skills on display. We are looking for the best design for a new shirt on the UB Merch Store using the slogan, “Frontier from the Beginning,” a phrase coined by Frank Yang, Director of UB Global, during his address at National Conference. There have been a couple early attempts at a new design, but thankfully wiser heads prevailed and a decision was made to invite other, more design-minded individuals into the process.

We know you are out there and we are inviting you to submit your design(s) for the Frontier from the Beginning t-shirt design contest. You have until October 20, 2023 to submit your unique design(s) to ub.org/frontier. The winning design will be announced the following week, and soon after, made available for purchase in the new UB Merch store. The winning designer will receive a shirt with their design and $50 to spend in the store.

To learn more about the contest rules and how you can enter, visit ub.org/frontier.

If you would like more information about what Frontier from the Beginning really means as well as some inspiration to get you started, watch this short explainer video.

21 Sep Get your New Gear

We are excited to announce that our online merch store is NOW OPEN! That means you can now get your hands on all sorts of UB branded gear, from t-shirts and hoodies to totes and polos, and have it all shipped right to your front door.

Here’s how it works:

1. Visit unitedbrethrengear.com.
2. Choose your items, the logo you prefer, and add your church name (optional).
3. Pay online and wait for your gear to arrive.
4. Sport your new threads at your next appointment, staff meeting, or worship set.

Happy shopping! We can’t wait to see all your new gear the next time we gather.

18 Sep Registration Open for UB History Course

The next United Brethren Church History course will be offered November 27-28, 2023. This class provides a great opportunity to learn about the history of the UB Church and the people who lead the way. It is also a great opportunity to learn from some of our most passionate denominational historians.

This course is a requirement for those seeking ministerial licensing, but it is open to anyone interested in our rich history. Laypersons, especially local church leaders (board chairpersons, church members, lay delegates, etc.) are encouraged to attend.

This is an online course and will be conducted via Zoom, November 27-28, 2023 from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm both days. Three books are required for students taking UB History: Trials and Triumphs and All For Christ, Volume 1 and Volume 2. Registration for the class is $200 per person plus the cost of the books which can be purchased directly from the UB National Office.

If you’re ready to explore the history of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, register here.

If you have any questions about registration or how you can order the books, contact Jamie Hoffman in the Bishop’s office at [email protected].

07 Sep Death of Dr. Chaney Bergdall

Dr. Chaney Bergdall

Dr. Chaney Bergdall, United Brethren minister and retired professor of Bible and Religion at Huntington University, passed away on Tuesday, September 5, 2023 after a brief battle with stage 4 metastatic melanoma.

Chaney graduated from Huntington University in 1969 (BA) and went on to earn three additional degrees from Jerusalem University College (MA, 1970), Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (MDiv, 1973), and Fuller Theological Seminary (Ph. D., 1986). He was ordained as a UB minister in 1973 and served at Kilburn Ave UB Church (Rockford, IL, 1971-75), Egan UB Church (Egan, IL, 1974-75), and Glendale UB Church (Glendale, CA, 1981-84). Dr. Bergdall also taught at Huntington University for 36 years (1975-82; 1984-2012).

After he retired in 2012, Chaney moved to Goshen, Indiana with his wife, Pat, and has been an active member of 8th Street Mennonite Church as well as a number of other community-minded organizations.

Dr. Bergdall’s obituary and funeral arrangements can be found here.