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August 1998 News Archive

8/28/98

Strinestown Church Hosts Email Devotional Group. The UB church of Strinestown, Pa., found a creative way to provide spiritual nourishment to today's busy people: an e-mail devotional group. The group consists of about 20 Strinestown members, evangelism contacts, and others who receive a weekly email devotional from the pastor, Anthony Blair. He uses a devotional booklet called Did Jesus Use a Modem (at the Sermon on the Mount)?, written by Ellis Bush, Jr. At the end of each week's short devotional, he includes questions for comment and discussion. The group members then respond to each other throughout the rest of the week. The group members have never met in person, but they meet weekly online, thanks to 1990s technology and a shared interest in the Word of God. Posted 8/28/98

11 Men in Training as Lay Ministers at Daytona UB. Eleven men from the Daytona UB church (Holly Hill, Fla.) are pursuing a Lay Minister's License. On Sunday, July 12, Pastor Chuck McKeown granted each one a probational license. The men plan to use the licenses to minister in a variety of ways: evangelism, drama, children's and youth ministry, meeting the needs of the homeless, and helping people leave a sinful lifestyle. They will follow a two-year program of study, meeting twice a month with the pastor for training and accountability.

One UB, Four United Methodist Churches Team Up. On May 1, McGuire Bend UB (rural Dayton, Iowa) began sharing pastoral leadership with four United Methodist congregations in the area. The fulltime senior pastor, Dale Schoening, is an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church, and part-time associate pastor Ken Hartman is a licensed pastor in the UMC.

As It Was in the Beginning....Several UB people traveled to Bad Liebenzell, Germany, for the World Christian Endeavor Convention, held July 30--August 2. About 5000 people attended. The UBs were Joe Fox, president of the Ohio Christian Endeavor, Emily Griffin of Virginia, and Bishop Emeritus Clarence and Ginnie Kopp. The Kopps attended in celebration of their 50th anniversary. They attended the Indiana State Christian Endeavor Convention back in 1948 as part of their honeymoon.

Updates from Hong Kong Conference. Following are some miscellaneous news items from Hong Kong Conference, taken from a conference newsletter.

  • Ten students are currently studying in seminary. Some work in our churches and youth centers while they are completing their studies. Their expenses are mainly provided by the various churches. The conference gives each student $65 (US) per month.
  • Enrollment exceeded the goal of 70 for the conference's summer youth retreat.
  • In August, members from three UB churches in Hong Kong--St. Luke's, St. Mark's, and Zion--joined members from Living Water church in Macau for a visit to the UB work in Myanmar and north Thailand.
  • On September 27, Rhett Butler, director of the UB work in Macau, will speak at a mission conference at St. Mark's church in Hong Kong, using the theme "Daylight vs. Darkness."
  • Mr. H. M. Lee (Teacher Lee), our pastor in Thailand, has a new coworker. Plus, one member of the church has been admitted to a Bible seminary. The Lees adopted a son last year, but the child remains very weak and can't stand on his own.
  • Donna Chung, a Hong Kong member serving as a missionary in an unnamed Muslim country, had some problems due to a lung illness. A medical checkup proved that she is okay.
  • CoMission Ready to Expand to Other Parts of the World. The CoMission has taught Christian basics and shown the Jesus film to over 40,000 educators in Russia. About 1600 people have spent at least one year in Russia following up contacts, starting Bible studies, and training new converts. Now, the CoMission is expanding its work to Mozambique in southern Africa, and to Southeast Asia.

Third-Generation Missionary. It started with Archie Cameron, who went to Honduras as a UB missionary in 1951. His youngest daughter, Marilyn, married a fellow named Roger Reeck, and they embarked on a lifetime of ministry with Wycliffe Bible Translators.

Now, along comes Chrysti Reeck (above), oldest daughter of Roger and Marilyn. She is a nurse currently preparing to go back to Honduras with Mission to the Americas, an organization which is building a 60-bed hospital on the north coast of Honduras. 8/28/98

8/25/98

Brian Magnus, superintendent of Ontario Conference, reported that 16,000 people attended the funeral of police officer Dave Nicholson (see the 8/17 note). Most of them were police officers from across Canada and the United States.

8/24/98

Pastoral Changes.

  • Jim Preece, formerly pastor of the UB church in Zanesville, Ind., has been reassigned to Salem Chapel UB in Junction City, Ohio, effective August 9.
  • Jay Fulton resigned as pastor of Prince of Peace UB (Springfield, Ohio) effective July 26. He will return to Asbury Theological Seminary with a goal of teaching New Testament at the college level.
  • Ben Chennells joined the pastoral staff at Christ Fellowship UB (Westerville, Ohio) on July 12 as associate pastor.
  • Jerry Funston is the new associate pastor of youth and children's ministries at Living Word UB, Columbus, Ohio. Effective: July 13.
  • Ed King, a retired Central Conference minister from Wren, Ohio, passed away July 22.

Mid-Atlantic Annual Conference. Mid-Atlantic Conference (formerly Pennslyvania Conference) met August 5-6 at Rhodes Grove Camp outside of Chambersburg, Pa. Here are some updates on ministers.

Dirk Small was elected to a three-year term as Superintendent of Administration and Finance. Anthony Blair was elected to a three-year term as Superintendent of Church Planting.

Four men were ordained:

  • Andy Paszkowski, pastor of Mt. Olivet UB in Mt. Solon, Virginia.
  • Richard Fischl, pastor of Mongul UB (Shippensburg, Pa.).
  • Bryce C. Wickard, associate pastor of Strinestown UB (Strinestown, Pa.).
  • Robert McCoy, associate pastor of Jerusalem Chapel (Churchville, Va.).

Annual Conference licenses were granted to:

  • Adam Leiper, from King Street UB (Chambersburg, Pa.).
  • Donald Russell, from Brooklyn Park UB (Baltimore, Md.).
  • Derek Thrush, associate pastor of Devonshire UB (Harrisburg, Pa.).
  • Dan Bentz, from South Mountain UB (Dillsburg, Pa.).

On the last night of conference, Bishop Seilhamer recognized two persons who were retiring. Burton Lange served in Mid-Atlantic Conference for 27 years. Jacob Stover actually retired in 1997, but was spending three months in Alaska during conference last year. Bishop Ray Seilhamer said he had one last job for them. He sent Burt Lange to the piano, and instructed Jacob Stover, an enthusiastic songleader, to lead the congregation in "Wonderful Grace of Jesus."

Bishop Emeritus Wilbur Sites plans to retire at the end of the year from his position as associate pastor at Otterbein UB, Waynesboro, Pa.

8/17/98

Dave Nicholson, a police officer and member of the Stanley Park UB church in Kitchener, Ontario, died August 12 in the line of duty. He was a police diver with the Waterloo Regional Police Force in Heidelberg, and was trying to rescue a 12-year-old boy from high water in the Grand Hill River. Dave is the son of former Ontario minister Keith Nicholson.

A member of the Underwater Recovery Unit, Dave was the first diver into the river. He apparently became trapped in the mouth of an internal sluice pipe of Parkview Dam. the sluice of Parkview Dam. When he first signaled trouble, other members of the police force and a large number of civilian volunteers went to heroic efforts to save him. Sadly, 60 people couldn't pull him out. Dave's safety line snapped, and he was swept away.

Dave is a 1989 graduate of Huntington college. He is survived by his wife, Wendy (formerly Wendy Burk of Michigan), and three children: Mitchel, Reid, and Joshua. The Nicholsons' mailing address is PO Box 230, Heidelberg, Ontario N0B 1Y0.

The funeral will be held Wednesday, August 19, at 2 p.m., at the Kitchener Gospel Temple in Kitchener, Ontario. Visitation will be August 17, 7-9 p.m., and August 18, 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. The Waterloo Police Force established a toll-free hotline to give details for persons interested in attending: 1-800-367-9145

8/12/98

Luke Cotie, son of Pastor Bob and Debbie Cotie of Shiloh UB (Tiverton, ON) has been diagnosed with a rare condition called Kawasaki Disease.

8/11/98

Mid-Atlantic Conference. Mid-Atlantic Annual Conference met August 5-6 at Rhodes Grove Camp in Chambersburg, Pa. Keith Skelton, an Englishman who pastors Open Door Church in Chambersburg, Pa., was the speaker. Wayne Cole and the Overcomers, from Jamaica, provided music. The Pastoral Changes page notes some ordinations, retirements, and new licentiates. Here are some other tidbits from that conference (which was named Pennsylvania Conference until the 1997 General Conference).

  • Dirk Small and Anthony Blair were re-elected as superintendents. John Shubert and Michael Mudge, the other two superintendents, weren't up for election this year.
  • Mid-Atlantic Conference now has 13 fulltime or part-time youth pastors.
  • The Bethel Afro-American Church, pastored by Billy Simbo, is running 95 in morning worship. They had their first lay delegate to the conference this year.
  • The Pennsylvania WMF raised over $4000 to renovate what is designated as the Bishop's Cottage at Rhodes Grove Camp.
  • Fountain UB of Keyser, W. Va., had 39 converts in 1997. The congregation just completed a new education wing. Michael Dean is the pastor.
  • South Mountain UB of Dillsburg, Pa., is completing a large multi-purpose building.
  • King Street UB of Chambersburg, Pa., is developing plans for a $3-4 million expansion that will include a large sanctuary.
  • All Mid-Atlantic churches have pastors, with the exception of Mt. Olivet UB of Adams County, Pa.

NorthPointe Music Position. Pastor Robert Simmons reports that Jeff Groseth cut his schedule so that he can remain as music director at NorthPointe Church.

8/10/98

A Four-Church Effort. On May 1, McGuire Bend UB (rural Dayton, IA) began sharing pastoral leadership with four United Methodist congregations in the area. The fulltime senior pastor, Dale Schoening, is an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church and lives in Stratford, Iowa. The associate pastor, Ken Hartman, is a licensed local pastor in the United Methodist Church (similar to a UB local conference licentiate). He serves half-time and is bi-vocational. Ken resides in Boone, Iowa.

8/03/98

Pastoral Changes

  • Dick Thorp is the new pastor at West Windsor UB in Michigan Conference. He had been pastor of the UB church in Alpena, Mich. M. E. Burkett is the new pastor in Alpena.
  • On July 1, Dan Rogers became fulltime director of the Niagara UB Youth Outreach. This is a joint project of the Garrison Road, Grace, and Stevensville UB churches in Ontario. Previously, he had been associate pastor at Garrison Road.