20 May Five Attend UB History Course in Fort Wayne, Ind.

L-r: Jim Olinger, Elliott Ripley, Paul Burrus, Michael Seigel, Matt Coppess, Bob Bruce.

Bob Bruce teaching the May 20 class.

Five persons are attending a one-day UB Church History course at Emmanuel Community Church (Fort Wayne, Ind.). Bob Bruce, pastor of Spiritual Care at Emmanuel, is teaching the course, which is a requirement for ministerial licensing in the United Brethren church.

The attendees are:

• Paul Burrus, pastor of Corunna UB church (Corunna, Ind.).
• Michael Seigel, youth pastor of Corunna UB church (Corunna, Ind.).
• Elliott Ripley, youth director of Monroe UB church (Monroe, Ind.).
• Jim Olinger, Connections Pastor at Hillsdale UB church (Hillsdale, Mich.).
• Matt Coppess, pastor of Family Ministries at Heart O the Lakes UB church (Brooklyn, Mich.).

12 May Ignite 2015: a UB Missions Event on August 29

Ignite a passion for God and His mission!

Ignite 2015 is a one-day get-away to grow in knowledge of God’s mission. Join Global Ministries for inspiring plenary sessions, informative workshops, intimate fellowship, and moving worship focused on God and His mission around the world.

Registration

You can register in two ways:

• Online. Use the registration form.
• Call: 1.888-622-3019 or 1.260-356-2312.

Early registration: $45 (ends May 29). Regular registration: $65 (ends August 10)
Registration includes lunch on August 29. It does NOT include overnight hotel reservation.

Lodging

If you will be staying overnight before the conference, contact the Blue Gate Garden Inn at 1.800-545-4725. Free full breakfast and wifi included. Mention that you are a part of the “UB Mission Conference.” Rooms are guaranteed only until July 30, unless they sell out for the Ignite conference. August is peak tourist season, so rooms may not be available beyond July 30.

About Shipshewana

Close to one million people are drawn to picturesque Shipshewana every year. You will find memorable shows, over 150 specialty shops, delicious restaurants. Shipshewana is the third-largest Amish community in America. It is the only Indiana site listed in the book 1,000 Places to See Before You Die.

11 May Lancaster, Ohio: Regional Meeting on June 8

Regional meetings are being held as a prelude to this summer’s national conference. They will give pastors and laypersons a chance to interact about some proposals which will come before the conference, and to hear updates on happenings across the denomination.
One meeting occurred this morning (May 11), in Chambersburg, Pa. Two more will occur next week:

• Monday, May 18, at the UB church in Sunfield, Mich., 9am – noon.
• Tuesday, May 19, at Praise Point Church in Willshire, Ohio, 1-4 pm.

An addition meeting has been set for Monday, June 8. It will be held 7-9 pm at Lancaster UB church in Lancaster, Ohio.

06 May Seven Attend May 4-5 UB History Class in Akron, Ohio

Kyle Timmis, C.J. Clymer, David Dakin, Thomas Shunk, Mark Self, Ted Rankin, and Scott Budde.

Seven persons attended the UB History Course May 4-5 in Akron, Ohio, Daryl Elliott, pastor of Fountain UB (Keyser, W. Va.), was the instructor. The attendees were:

• Kyle Timmis, Discipleship Ministry intern at Element Church (Blissfield, Mich.).
• C.J. Clymer, Adrian Campus Pastor at Element Church (Blissfield, Mich.).
• David Dakin, from Kenton, Ohio.
• Thomas Shunk, from Park Layne UB church (New Carlisle, Ohio).
• Mark Self, senior pastor of Trinity UB (Fostoria, Ohio).
• Ted Rankin, youth pastor at Atlantic Avenue UB (Franklin, Pa.).
• Scott Budde, senior pastor of Mt. Carmel UB (Fulks Run, Va.).

06 May National Conference Workshops Tackling Big Issues

A full slate of exciting workshops is schedule for Friday morning of National Conference. They include several workshops which tackle important current issues, getting beyond political rhetoric to at least begin a conversation for United Brethren on these issues.

Who is My Neighbor? A Christian Discussion on Immigration. Matthew Soerens of World Relief specializes in helping churches understand the complexities of immigration from a biblical perspective. Matthew will take a step back from the political rhetoric to examine immigration issues from the perspective of Scripture,. He will address common concerns about immigration issues and provide practical ideas for how churches can respond to the opportunities presented by the arrival of immigrants into our country.

The Church, Same-Sex Attraction, and Homosexuality. How does the church uphold biblical values without alienating those we are trying to reach? How do we respond as individuals and churches? Persons struggling with SSA and homosexuality are people with souls, loved by God and searching for their place in God’s family. This workshop looks at what the Bible says about SSA and homosexuality, attempts to understand their struggles, and considers how the local church can respond with grace, compassion, and truth. The workshop will be led by Robert Bruce, associate pastor of Emmanuel Community Church (Fort Wayne, Ind.).

Transitioning to Multiethnic Ministry. It’s rightly been said that despite the progress that has been made toward racial integration, Sunday morning at 11:00 is still the most segregated hour of the week. Dr. Wayne Schmidt, our keynote speaker, intentionally moved his church from being a predominantly white congregation to one with a 30%+ minority/ethnic constituency. This workshop will share the principles and practices that helped get them there, and what they encountered along the way.