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09 Jul

July 9, 2015 |

HU-Peoria-Feature

Dr. Sherilyn Emberton (right), President of Huntington University

On Tuesday evening, July 7, an Economic Development Agreement between Huntington University and the City of Peoria, Arizona, was approved by the Peoria City Council with a unanimous “Yes” vote. Jeff Berggren, HU representative, reported that Peoria Mayor Cathy Carlat smiled after announcing the vote and stated “Huntington University, welcome to Peoria!” The City of Peoria will provide up to $1.875 million dollars of financial support for the HU Digital Media Arts campus over the next three years.

It was almost three years ago, in August of 2012, that Dr. Ann McPherren and Jeff Berggren made the first trip out to Peoria on behalf of HU. Over that time, our relationships with the city have deepened and we have created connections with potential partners to assist us with a successful new campus location in Arizona.

We have also narrowed down our initial academic offerings to digital media arts, which immediately fills unmet demand in higher education in the state of Arizona. HU digital media arts will build on a strong training program within the Peoria Unified School District that will have over 1400 high school students involved in digital media this coming fall. This partnership creates a pipeline for students to study media from high school to college to a robust job market, all within the same community.

A school of DMA will establish HU as one of two universities (along with Trine) in a rapidly growing city (quickly approaching the size of Fort Wayne) that is part of the fifth largest metro area in the country (soon to be the fourth largest, trailing only New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago). They are very interested in other HU academic programs coming to Peoria as additional partnership opportunities present themselves.

There remain several key steps before we can officially commit to the Peoria expansion. HU has already been working on a number of these next steps necessary for our campus launch. The Economic Development Agreement was certainly a critical step.

Peoria will be a great city to serve as we extend our mission to impact our world for Christ 2,000 miles to the Southwest.

08 Jul

July 8, 2015 |
Derek Thrush (left) with children from Iglesia Luz in Puerto Cortes, Honduras.

Derek Thrush (left) with children from Iglesia Luz in Puerto Cortes, Honduras.

Derek Thrush with Pastor Janiria of Iglesia Luz.

Derek Thrush with Pastor Janiria of Iglesia Luz.

Devonshire group in Honduras.

Devonshire group in Honduras.

Praying with Honduran kids.

Praying with Honduran kids.

Devonshire group in Honduras.

Devonshire group in Honduras.

Derek Thrush, senior pastor, Devonshire Church (Harrisburg, Pa.)

Just last week, a team of 11 individuals from Devonshire Church returned from a trip to Puerto Cortes, Honduras. There, we spent 10 days reconnecting and ministering with our sister church, Iglesia Luz, in the barrio of Camaguey.

Our primary ministry focus throughout the week was:

  • Leading a week-long Children’s Bible School.
  • Meeting and sharing with home groups.
  • Bringing encouragement to the Iglesia Luz church family.
  • Helping complete the construction of classrooms and replacing a roof on the church parsonage.
  • Serving the needs of families in the community.

Through the past four visits and a 12-year partnership in the gospel, it has been a gift to experience sweet times of fellowship as brothers and sisters united in Christ. It was such a joy to reconnect with a sister church family where we’ve seen friendships develop, families grow, and a deepening of Christian love for one another.

06 Jul

July 6, 2015 |

robert-staup300Robert W. “Bob” Staup, 89, died July 3, 2015, at his home in Angola, Ind. Bob retired in November 2012 after 55 years of ministry as a United Brethren pastor.

According to denominational records, Bob served these UB churches:

  • 1958-1967: Union Chapel (Fort Wayne, Ind.).
  • 1963-1969: South Scipio (Harlan, Ind.).
  • 1969-1982: Hudson (Hudson, Ind.).
  • 1972-1982: Corunna (Corunna, Ind.).
  • 1982-1995: Nettle Lake (Montpelier, Ohio) and Mt. Pleasant (Angola, Ind.).
  • 2001-2012: Mt. Pleasant (Angola, Ind.).

Bob was born January 23, 1926, in Adrian, Mich. He served in the U.S. Navy aboard the LST 670 during World War II and participated in several Pacific Island invasions. He graduated from Huntington College in 1963 and was ordained in 1963.

He is survived by his wife, Joan, whom he married in 1948. Also surviving are two daughters, two sons, 11 grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren.

Visitation time: 3-7 pm Tuesday, July 7, 2015.
Visitation location: H.E. Johnson & Sons Funeral Home, 108 S. West Street Angola.
Funeral service time: 11 am Wednesday, July 8, 2015. Visitation one hour beforehand.
Funeral location: Mt. Pleasant UB church, 2140 S. 850 E. Angola, IN 46703.

Officiating will be two grandsons, along with Rev. Devon Strine, pastor of Mt. Pleasant UB church.

Memorials are to Mt. Pleasant United Brethren In Christ Church, 2140 S. 850 E. Angola, IN 46703 or Honor Flight NEI, P.O. Box 5, Huntertown, Indiana 46748.

03 Jul

July 3, 2015 |

We received news of the death of Rev. Robert Staup, a United Brethren pastor for 55 years. He began pastoring the Union Chapel UB church (Fort Wayne, Ind.), in 1958, and served five other UB churches in northeast Indiana and northwest Ohio until retiring in 2012. His final pastorate was at Mt. Pleasant UB church (Angola, Ind.), 2001-2012.

Rev. Staup had been sick for some time, and was in hospice care. He was 89 years old.

Funeral details will be posted as available.

29 Jun

June 29, 2015 |
The Send Out at Fowlerville.

The Send Out at Fowlerville.

Participants with their CIA shirts

Participants with their CIA shirts

Mark Wilson (right), senior pastor, Fowlerville UB church (Fowlerville, Mich.)

May 16, 2015, marked our fifth year of serving the Fowlerville community through “Outflow Serving Day.” This event has grown to be one of the largest impacts that we have as a local church in our community.

This year, over 500 participants from our church were sent out into our community to serve. They were dressed in bright florescent CIA (the Church In Action) shirts, tagged with Romans 15:13 on the front.

During the 6-8 hours, we completed over 90 projects. They included painting, deck repair/replacement, landscaping, bathroom repair, floor repair, roof repair, and too many other things to list.

This has become one of our most anticipated events of the year by our congregation, and has opened the door to many spiritual conversations. Over the years we have served many who are far away from Christ, or who have been deeply hurt by the church. Through this, God continues to open doors and hearts.

We truly believe, as the song says, that “Greater Things are Still to be Done in this City!”

29 Jun

June 29, 2015 |

On June 21, 2015, Richfield Road UB church (Flint, Mich.) held a Tree Planting Ceremony to honor former pastors who has passed away. A tree was planted for each pastor in appreciation for his years of service at Richfield Road. They are:

Pastor Charles Malson, Sr., 1957-1982.
Pastor Robert Shellhouse, 1982-1987.
Pastor Charles Bugby, 1998.
Pastor Dick Raab, 1998-2007.

26 Jun

June 26, 2015 |

As of Friday, June 26, we have 730 people registered for the upcoming US National Conference in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Some things to point out:

  • Registration starts at noon on Wednesday, July 15.
  • Nearly all reports for the Thursday business session are available on the conference website. Delegates need to download and print out the reports (or get your pastor or somebody else to do it).
  • Most information about the conference is available on the UB App. This includes links to view the various reports. You can use the app on smartphones and tablets for both Apple and Android, and also on the Kindle.

 

25 Jun

June 25, 2015 |

Rev. Burton M. Lange, 82, of Chambersburg, Pa., passed away Monday morning, June 22, 2015, after an extended illness. He was a pastor, radio personality, entertainer, and extraordinary Gospel pianist.

Burt served 58 years as a United Brethren pastor–in Kansas, Indiana, Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. At the time of his death, he was visitation pastor at Salem UB church in Chambersburg, Pa. He was also a long-time radio personality on WKSL radio as well as Christian station WNLR in Virginia. Burt was known as a pianist and entertainer, providing piano comedy programs to many civic and church groups.

For a number of years, he traveled extensively as the piano accompanist for singer Tony Fontane, as well as for other Christian singers.

Burt Lange was born in Grand Rapids, Mich., in 1932, but shortly thereafter his family moved to Peoria, Ill., where he grew up. He was a member of First UB church in Peoria. He entered Huntington University in 1950, where he majored in music and graduated in 1954. He and Esther were married in August of that year. He then studied for the ministry, graduating from the Huntington seminary in 1957.

In 1957, the Langes relocated to Kansas, pastoring the UB church in Abilene for one year followed by four years at the church in Colby. He was ordained in 1960.

In 1962, they returned to Indiana, where Burt pastored a Methodist circuit in Mt. Etna for two years. Then he moved east in 1964 to resume pastoring United Brethren churches:

  • 1964-1968: the UB church in Rohresville, Md.
  • 1977-1981: Jerusalem Chapel in Churchville, Va.
  • 1983-1987: Mt. Olivet UB church in Mt. Solon, Va.
  • 1988-1998: Mt. Olivet UB church in Aspers, Pa.
  • 2002-2009: Cold Springs UB church in Fayetteville, Pa.

Burton Lange is survived by his wife of 60 years, Esther, and his two sons, Roger and Jerry.

Memorial services will be held June 26 and 27 in different locations. In both, the family will receive friends one hour prior to the service.

Memorial service time: 11am Friday, June 26.
Service location: Salem United Brethren Church, 4349 Letterkenny Road, Chambersburg, PA 17201. Senior pastor Art Page will officiate.

Memorial service time: 11am Saturday, June 27.
Service location: Bunker Hill E.C. Church, Bunker Hill, PA.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorial donations be sent to Salem United Brethren Church.

22 Jun

June 22, 2015 |

Rev. Burton Lange, who spent 40 years pastoring United Brethren churches in Pennsylvania and Virginia, passed away Monday, June 22, 2015. Since 2010, he had served on staff as visitation pastor at Salem UB church in Chambersburg, Pa.

Funeral arrangements are still being made.

Rev. Lange was well-known as an outstanding pianist. He accompanied Tony Fontaine on many of his gospel tours in the 1960s and 1970s, including performing at the White House. Every year at Pennsylvania annual conference, he would entertain people with his playing and his amazing wit.

He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Esther, and sons Roger and Jerry.

22 Jun

June 22, 2015 |

Todd Fetters, Director of National Ministries

Our practice since 2007 has been to go light on conference business every other year. We handled over 20 proposals in 2013, but this year is the “off” year. However, the docket has been filled with 13 proposals, some of which may generate considerable discussion.

We posted the Rules & Procedures for the upcoming US National Conference. The first order of business will be to officially adopt these rules.

Please note rule 17, which states, “Any item of business, petition, or Discipline revision proposal must be submitted to the Bishop’s Office no later than Wednesday, July 1, 2015.”

Report 41, “Proposals,” contains the official list of proposals which will go before the delegates. Any proposals you wish to have included in Report 41 must reach the Bishop’s Office by July 1. The final version of Report 41 will be posted on July 3.

Of course, parliamentary procedure allows for setting aside Rule 17 to consider new proposals from the floor. Any delegates wanting to do this will need to take responsibility for duplicating the proposal for all 300+ delegates.

Most reports, along with all of the proposals submitted thus far, have been posted on the conference website. You can view them online or download them as PDF files.