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Roxton “Rocky” Spear (right) has been named senior pastor of Kilpatrick UB church (Woodland, Mich.). He takes the place of Darrel Bosworth, the pastor since 2002, who is retiring. Rocky had been pastor of Mongul UB church (Shippensburg, Pa.) since January 2007.
Al Carter (right), senior pastor, First UB church (Columbus, Ohio)
We experienced the most participants in an Easter Egg search in the last 20 years. Scripture verses were placed in the eggs along with candy. We also handed out bags to pick the eggs that contained information of church services and up-coming events. The Sunday morning service was well attended with several new attendants.
Andy Sikora (right, senior pastor, Renew Communities (Berea, Ohio)
We had a wonderful time worshiping together and celebrating the resurrection! We used on John 16.33, with Jesus saying “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” We focused on the invitation Jesus extends to us as his followers to unite with him, take heart, and have peace.
We shared the video above of our friends from Renew, Neil & Katie Frohnapple. It tells about the troubles they’ve faced in this last year and how clinging to the resurrected Jesus has carried them through.
The Easter season is always a great time of the year for United Brethren churches. There are Lenten emphases, special services (Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter), outreach events, and often record attendances.
While the Easter season is still fresh in your mind, please write up a little description about any special ministries, programs, events, services, activities, etc. at your church. We’ll get it posted on UBCentral.org. Other United Brethren will enjoy hearing about it.
We created a form you can use to send your report (click the button below). You can also attach photos. Or, you can send everything directly, by email, to Communications Director Steve Dennie.
Registration is now open for the 2016 UB Women’s Conference.
Join several hundred United Brethren women from across the country for this three-day event. The conference is sponsored by the Women’s Ministry Leadership Team and is held every two years. About 240 women attended the 2014 conference.
Date: September 30 – October 2, 2016 (Fri – Sun)
Location: Gettysburg, Pa.
Cost
The event cost is $75 per person. The hotel cost starts at $70 per person if you have four persons in a room. Register by June 16 for the Early Bird rate. Room costs go up after June 16.
Lodging will be at the Gettysburg Wyndham. The hotel is located on a 100-acre campus just minutes from the battlefield, with modern amenities and world-class dining.
Transportation to Gettysburg
Your church can help by bringing women to the conference in a van or bus. That’ll reduce individual travel expenses. Also, it’ll give us larger vehicles to use for site-seeing trips. During the free afternoon time, we will coordinate trips to various locations with these vans and buses. So if you can bring a larger vehicle, it’ll be a big help.
Silent Auction
The silent auction is back by popular demand. It helps underwrite costs so we can keep fees low. Plan to bring items for the auction. Registrants will receive emails with more information.
For complete information about the conference and to register, go to UBWomen.org.
Legendary Huntington University cross-country and track coach Tom King announced will retire from coaching at the end of the 2016 track season.
King came to HU in 1970 as Dean of Men, and also took over the track teams and began building a cross-country program. During the next 40+ years, his track teams won 15 league titles. In the early 1990s, the women’s track program won four consecutive national championships in the National Christian College Athletic Association.
Since 1987, over 80 of his student-athletes qualified for the NAIA National Track and Field Championships, and earned 56 All-American honors. They include four-time national shot-put champion Jim Arnett, two-time national champion John Ngure, and national runners-up Danielle Vohs and Jenny Keil. He has also coached well over 100 All-American Scholar Athletes.
Accolades from his 47-year tenure:
King also served as HU’s athletic director 1987-1995, and in 2001 was inducted into HU’s Athletic Hall of Fame.
Longtime UB minister Aden Porter is mourning the loss of his father, who passed away on Saturday, March 19, 2016. The funeral will be held Saturday, March 26, at Zion UB church in Blissfield, Mich. Visitation is noon – 2pm, with a memorial service at 2 pm.
Aden Porter began his pastoral ministry in 1974. Since 1993, he has been pastor of Zion UB in Blissfield, Mich. Condolences can be sent to:
Rev. Aden Porter
9668 Crockett Highway
Blissfield, MI 49228
Donna and Jason Hollopeter traveling for Global Ministries in Southeast Asia.
Donna with the Global Ministries staff giving a Chinese New Year’s greeting for the Macau staff.
Donna Hollopeter having fun with children in Sierra Leone.
Jeff Bleijerveld, Director of Global Ministries
Donna Hollopeter has faithfully and tirelessly served the United Brethren Church since 1993. During that time she has led the Women’s Missionary Fellowship, coordinated and participated on many short-term mission trips, spoken in numerous UB churches across North America, traveled to all of our mission fields (usually multiple times), and participated in a variety of projects and campaigns. She has served well and has been very much valued and appreciated.
As Donna retires from Global Ministries, we encourage you to join us in thanking Donna for her 22 years of service to the United Brethren church, and more specifically, to the work of UB missions. Donna was hired as associate director of Global Ministries in 1993, and sometime during those years—perhaps several times—she probably spoke in your church. She has been known as an enthusiastic speaker. At the national office, we have appreciated her as a creative, quick-witted person who was fun to be around.
For many of those 22 years, Donna was also a pastor’s wife. Her husband, Jason, was pastor of the UB church in Corunna, Ind., before retiring in 2010. He accompanied her on many short-term trips. They have three daughters scattered between Colorado, Michigan, and Indianapolis, Ind.
We invite your prayers for Donna during this transition in her own life, and for Global Ministries as we look for a new associate director to meet our changing needs.
Jason, Donna, and Jessica Hollopeter on one of the Poland short-term trips.
Donna in northern Thailand with Akha women.
Steve Dennie, Communications Director
I remember when Donna Hollopeter joined the Global Ministries staff in 1993. I immediately liked her–her vibrant personality, creativity, work ethic, and sense of humor. None of this ever let up. If Donna slowed down any, I sure didn’t see it. Her creativity and enthusiasm held strong for 22+ years.
Initially, Donna’s work focused around the Women’s Missionary Fellowship, as she interacted with WMF regional and local church groups. She helped lead them through major (and difficult) changes. In addition, her role as associate director brought her all kinds of other responsibilities and assignments over the years. Donna traveled overseas dozens of times, and organized mission trips for numerous church and college groups. She helped plan our national conference meetings and usually presented a workshop. She oversaw printing projects, dealt with government agencies to secure visas, helped train mission team leaders…and so much more.
A former school principal, Donna came to the office with a Masters degree. However, she kept learning. Early on, she learned Spanish so she could be more effective while traveling in Central America. More recently, she earned her TESOL certification from Huntington University.
For a number of years, Donna presented a very special devotional which became somewhat of a Christmas tradition in the national office. She created a peaceful, low-light atmosphere, and brought in various kinds of rolls, breads, and teas. Then, while eating, we would listen to a recording of Tom Hegg’s poem, “A Cup of Christmas Tea.” I always looked forward to it. She presented it again this past December.
Donna served under three Global Ministries directors–Kyle McQuillen, Gary Dilley, and Jeff Bleijerveld. She worked with five different bishops.
She was fun to work with. During break times, as we chatted about miscellaneous nonsense, she would make a comment that would get us all laughing (or, more likely, groaning). I’ll miss that. When she was called upon to make some kind of silly in-house presentation, you could count on it being fun and creative. She was a delightful one-of-a-kind.
For most of those years, Donna doubled as a pastor’s wife. In 1995, Jason became pastor of the UB church in Corunna, Ind. For the next 15 years, she commuted 45 minutes (one way) to the office in Huntington. After Jason retired in 2010, they bought a house in Huntington and drastically reduced their gasoline expenses.
Underlying everything was a servant’s heart. Donna labored with a tireless commitment to the work of UB missions, putting in long hours and doing whatever was asked of her. She leaves behind a strong legacy of faithful service to Christ and to the Church–a legacy which I admire, and which we can all appreciate.
Comments from Others in the National Office.
Jeff Bleijerveld, director of Global Ministries: “When Donna traveled overseas, she was always prepared to share a greeting, an update, even a song. She had a soft spot for children and was able to engage them, even across cultural and linguistic barriers. After completing her TESOL certification with Huntington University, she was able to further engage students of all ages in English language learning activities in China, Spain, Thailand, and Poland.”
Frank Y, associate director: “Donna has a sincere servant’s heart. She is always quick to notice when someone is in need or distress. When that happens, she tenderly ministers to them, whether they are overseas missionaries or locals. Here in the office, she brought humor and levity. She astounded us with her quick wit and would leave us laughing in stitches with her lightning-fast puns. When Donna was out of the office and someone shared a pun, you would hear, ‘Thank you, Donna.’”
David Kline, associate director and former UB missionary in Macau: “When Donna visited the field, you always knew she cared about you. She sought to understand our situation. Her probing questions were always designed to care about you.”
Jana Gass, Global Ministries administrative assistant: “Donna was more than just a co-worker, she was a great friend to everyone in the office. For me personally, I could always count on her to have the information that was needed when there was a question that I couldn’t answer, or to introduce me to someone in the denomination that I had not met before. Even beyond work-related things, however, she was just a true friend who would always lend a listening ear and give carefully thought out advice when needed. I am so thankful and grateful that I was able to spend the past few years working alongside Donna, and will miss her presence here in the office greatly.”
Jane Seely, national office resource manager: “I really appreciate Donna’s humor and wit. Donna loves life and appreciates all the Lord has done in her life. She was also a great encourager. She is missed.”
Cathy Reich, administrative assistant to the bishop: “I love the special connection I have with Donna. She has been an inspiration to me in so many ways. I will miss all she brought to the office. From the devotions she shared, to her passion for missions, to her fun and light spirit in and around the office, I am a richer person for having worked alongside Donna for these many years.”
With Rhonda Dilley in Sierra Leone.
Huntington University is opening a campus in Peoria, Arizona. It will offer bachelor’s degree programs in Digital Media Arts, with majors in film production, broadcast-fusion media, and graphic design. Classes start with the fall 2016 semester.
The university leased a 30,000 square-foot, three-story building. It will be home to all kinds of high-end toys, including computer labs, private editing suites, film and TV studios, a state-of-the-art TV control room, lighting equipment, high-end cameras.
Students will be prepared for careers in such fields as motion picture production, editing, audio/studio recording, podcasting, broadcast journalism, sports broadcasting, and commercial graphic art.
