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22 Oct

October 22, 2015 |

The official numbers have been released for fall 2015 enrollment at Huntington University. The total enrollment of 1,273 students is the largest enrollment over the past five years, with a 5 percent increase from 2014. Over 120 students identify as members of a United Brethren in Christ congregation.

The numbers are as follows:

  • Residential Campus Undergrads – 934.
  • Professional Programs – 78.
  • Graduate Students – 261 (+126 from 2014).
  • Total Enrollment – 1273 (+64 from 2014).

Some notes about the current student body.

  • There are 47 international students, which is an increase from 38 students in 2014. International student enrollment is at its highest point since the 1980s.
  • Overall student diversity is at 10% of overall student enrollment.
  • The largest area of growth comes from graduate programs in Counseling with the launch of the Townsend Institute, and the development of the Master’s in Organizational Leadership.
  • The growth in graduate programs was further fueled by the addition of 32 new students in the Doctorate of Occupational Therapy program, for a total of 64 students. The program accepts a maximum of 32 new students per year.
  • Strong numbers in programs like Digital Media Arts, Business, Nursing, Ministry, and Education continue to provide the foundation for undergraduate offerings.
  • The University successfully launched the Haupert Institute for Agricultural Studies this fall. It now has 16 students, of whom 12 are first-time freshmen.

12 Oct

October 12, 2015 |

Here is the information for the annual Pastoral Resource Day in Pennsylvania.

Dates: November 1-2, 2015.
Location: Rhodes Grove Camp & Conference Center.
Address: 7693 Browns Mill Road, Chambersburg, Pa. 17202.

The speaker is Beth Pictor, who will address the subject, “Promoting Awareness and Understanding of Same-Sex Attraction.”

Registration deadline: October 26, 2015.

Overnight lodging and meals are available.

Download this PDF form to register, or call the camp at 717-375-4162. Office hours: Monday and Tuesday 8am – 3pm.

Address questions to ubassociation@rhodesgrove.com

12 Oct

October 12, 2015 |

On Friday, October 23, another Townsend Institute Symposium will be held at Huntington University. Registration starts at 8 am and the day concludes at 4:30 pm.

Two counseling trainings will be held in the morning, both led by Institute Fellows.

  • 8:45 am. Dr. Les Parrot–psychologist, professor, and author of several books–will address the subject, “Treatment and Resolution of Depression.”
  • 10:30 am. Nancy Houston a certified sex therapist and an associate pastor, will address, “Utilizing and Developing the Drives to Build Character Structure.”

In the afternoon, two Leadership trainings by Institute Fellows will address, in two parts, the topic “Building a High-Performance Culture.”

  • 1:15. Dave Brown, board chairman of Athletes in Action and former CEO LensCrafters, will speak on Part 1 of “Building a High-Performance Culture.”
  • 3:00. Fred Smith, founder and CEO of The Gathering, a community of Christian givers, will lead Part 2.

In addition, there will be Q&A times with Dr. Townsend throughout the day.

CEU’s will be available ($40 for 1.5 hours and $75 for 3 hours).

The Symposium is free, but registration is required. Please register by 2 pm on October 22.

The last Symposium for 2015 will be held December 11th.

07 Oct

October 7, 2015 |

Jeff Bleijerveld, director of Global Ministries, will lead a vision trip to visit Guatemala, home of our newest national conference. The trip will include participation in their national conference, and visits to local church and project sites.

Accompanying the group will be Mark Wallace, a UB minister from Canada and director of Christian Horizons Global. He will introduce team members to some of their work in Guatemala. They have been our partners in Haiti, providing support to UB schools and the development of small business projects.

Global Ministries is sponsoring a number of other short-term trips during 2016–to Jamaica, Honduras, Spain, Poland, Nicaragua, Guatemala, and Sierra Leone.

07 Oct

October 7, 2015 |

Jeff Bleijerveld, Director of Global Ministries

We’re preparing for this year’s Thanksgiving Missions Offering. Last year we raised $46,736 for our Antioch Fund to help support the mission efforts of our partner national conferences. This year the United States will focus on raising funds to support our short-term mission efforts. (Canada, our partner in Global Ministries, has its own focus this year.)

While Global Ministries creates budgets for trips, there are always cost overruns as a result of delayed flights, unexpected costs, emergencies, or just being asked by our hosts to do things we hadn’t planned. When these sorts of things happen, Global Ministries absorbs the expenses, since it’s pretty hard to ask for more money once the team returns home.

As a result, we have accumulated a sizeable deficit over the last few years—one we’d like to erase. In addition to wiping out our deficit, we’d like to build up an account to subsidize some trip expenses like medicines and supplies for medical teams, or to help small churches that might lack the base needed to raise funds.

Information is on its way to each of our churches. Churches have been sent a letter and order form for materials this past week. Bulletin inserts will be sent in the weeks prior to the American Thanksgiving in November.

02 Oct

October 2, 2015 |

The fall 2015 CH Global newsletter has a short article about the King Street UB church in Chambersburg, Pa. King Street decided to come alongside the Arcahaie United Brethren church in Haiti with various kinds of support. As part of that, King Street challenged its members to sponsor 50 children from Arcahaie through CH Global. They far surpassed that goal, ultimately sponsoring 98 children.

The funds from these sponsorships enabled CH Global to pour more money into the United Brethren school at Arcahaie. The school had been struggling to pay teachers and was on the brink of closing. No more.

01 Oct

October 1, 2015 |
Scott and Amanda Graham (front) with participants in Scott's ordination.

Scott and Amanda Graham (front) with participants in Scott’s ordination.

Bishop Todd Fetters conducts the ordination of Scott Graham.

Bishop Todd Fetters conducts the ordination of Scott Graham.

L-r: Phil Whipple, Chuck Wheatley, Amanda and Scott Graham, Bishop Todd Fetters.

L-r: Phil Whipple, Chuck Wheatley, Amanda and Scott Graham, Bishop Todd Fetters.

On Sunday, September 27, Bishop Todd Fetters spoke at Good Shepherd UB church (Greenfield, Ohio) and conducted the ordination of its pastor, Scott Graham. Scott and his wife, Amanda, were assigned to Good Shepherd in 2013.

Ordination candidates always select two ordained ministers, persons who have played an important role in their lives, to assist in the ceremony. Scott chose former bishop Phil Whipple, who assigned Scott to Good Shepherd and provided important leadership to Scott and the church; and Chuck Wheatley, former pastor (now retired) of the Avlon UB church in Bremen, Ohio.

Three other United Brethren pastors attended the ordination: Al Carter, senior pastor of First UB church (Columbus, Ohio); Douglas Stull, senior pastor of Shepherd of the Valley UB church (Logan, Ohio); and Joe Leighton, senior pastor of Salem Chapel (Junction City, Ohio).

They were joined by former Good Shepherd pastor Mike Anderson, current youth pastor Matt Bryant, and five pastors from local non-UB churches who were instrumental in Scott’s journey.

Scott wrote, “For me, this was not only a service of ordination, but a service recognizing God’s grace and his restoration in my life. This was a full service with worship and special music revolving around those themes. The whole service was very moving and emotional for us and Good Shepherd.”

29 Sep

September 29, 2015 |

americas-best-hopeAmerica’s Best Hope is about building godly leaders in the marketplace–men and women hungry to grow and lead spiritually, professionally, and personally. On November 13, you’re invited to Huntington University to view a simulcast of the 4th annual America’s Best Hope conference occurring live in Indianapolis. HU is one of 16 simulcast locations across the country.

A line-up of world class speakers–including the presidents of Tyson Foods and Hobby Lobby, Christian writer Lee Strobel, and comedian Michael Jr.– will address what defines a godly leader and how to practically integrate faith and vocation.

Past speakers have included Francis Chan, coaches Tony Dungy and Tom Crean, and Dr. John Townsend from Huntington University’s Townsend Institute.

Date: Friday, November 13.
Time: 8am – 4 pm (doors open at 7am).
Location: Merillat Centre for the Arts at Huntington University.
Cost: $29. Includes lunch in the newly-renovated Habecker Dining Commons at HU.

28 Sep

September 28, 2015 |
Presenting a check for $700 to Water4. L-r: Chet Conley (impact minister at First UB), Ron Monday (Mission’s chair), and Jerry Rieger of Water4.

Presenting a check for $700 to Water4. L-r: Chet Conley (impact minister at First UB), Ron Monday (Mission’s chair), and Jerry Rieger of Water4.

Darwin Dunten (right), senior pastor, First UB Church (Findlay, Ohio)

The 2015 theme for First United Brethren Church (Findlay, Ohio) is, “Whatever you do to the least of these, you have done it onto me.” In Matthew 25, part of that discourse focuses on giving a cup of water in Jesus’ name.

In February, a goal was presented to FUBiC to raise $1500 for one water well for the Water4 organization out of Oklahoma City. These wells are drilled in Third World countries by the citizens of that region.

When the goal was presented to the congregation, one elder proclaimed from the sanctuary that we can do even better–that we could raise enough for 10 wells. After six months, the church had raised $6270, which was enough for four wells.

Jerry Rieger, director of Global Resource Development for Water4, called the church and said that since we were first-time givers, the money donated would be doubled by an anonymous donor. That donor, in turn, would be doubled by another donor. Therefore, the funds donated would be quadrupled.

More funds were raised to even the donation to $7000. With the matching grants, the funds raised now stood at $28,000. This was enough for 18.5 wells.

On Sunday, September 27, Jerry Regier traveled to Findlay, Ohio, to receive the donation and share a message to the church.

28 Sep

September 28, 2015 |
Tara (left), Emma, and Tim with sons Isaac and Levi. Inset: Tim and Eli.

Tara (left), Emma, and Tim with sons Isaac and Levi. Inset: Tim and Eli.

Tim and Tara Hallman and all four children participated in the Fort4Fitness event on Saturday, September 26, in Fort Wayne, Ind. The Hallmans serve Anchor UB church in Fort Wayne. A number of persons from Anchor participate in the Fort4Fitness each year.

Rozanne Hallman in the seniors marathon.

Rozanne Hallman in the seniors marathon.

Tim ran the 10K event, and then ran the 4-mile event with twin sons Isaac and Levi (who tied for third in their age group). Tara ran the 13-mile half-marathon, as she has done for several years, while daughter Emma ran the 10k alongside Tara’s sister, Amy Saleh. On Friday night, Tim and youngest son Eli together ran the final stretch of the children’s marathon.

The next day, they all participated in the 2.2 mile Redemption House Benefit Walk in Fort Wayne. Several others from Anchor joined them.

Tim’s mother, Rozanne Hallman (right), widow of former UB pastor Gerald Hallman, and his mother-in-law, Karen Johnson, participated in the Fort4Fitness senior marathon.