June 2000 News Archive

5/2/00

Honduras. Matt and Sheyanne Armstrong arrived in Honduras earlier this year to serve at the Bethel school in La Ceiba, under appointment by the UB Missions Commission. Sheyanne sent this report:

"Matt and I are both teaching English to high school-aged students. We teach the bilingual secretaries. Matt teaches first and fourth year students, and I teach second and third year students. The first year students have had little or no exposure to English, and the fourth year students are (or at least should be) nearly conversational. Obviously, the second and third year students fall in the middle on that continuum. We teach from 7:00 until 12:40, Monday through Friday. Some of those days are full, with no breaks, and on other days we have some free time between classes (depending on our schedules).

"Then, from 5:00--6:00 p.m. Monday to Wednesday, Matt teaches a guy's English class to Francisco Raudales and some other mission- or church-related people. On those same days and at the same time, I teach a girl's and kid's English class to Rosa and some other mission- or church-related people.

Those are our main responsibilities for right now. There are, of course, many other odds and ends that we attend to here and there.

Trip to the Holy Land. Rev. David Newell, pastor of Criders UB in Chambersburg, Pa., will host a 10-day trip to the Holy Land on November 8. For information, contact him at (717)369-3673

Baltimore, Maryland. The worship team of Brooklyn Park UB presented two performances of the cantata "The Journey." Forty-five people attended the first performance, on Saturday evening, April 15. Then, on Palm Sunday, 95 people saw the second performance.

Fowlerville, Mich. Jeff Reser, associate pastor at Fowlerville UB, reports, "God has let us in on some cool ministry! He is using the needs of people in the community as an opportunity to impact them spiritually. Single parents have especially been impacted.

"On April 7 and 8, our church offered a Clothing Extravaganza--a clothing sale, minus the 'sale' part. We asked people to donate clothes, in good condition, that would then be given away to people in need who came to the event. As we got clothing into their hands, we told about other church ministries that meet both physical and spiritual needs.

"An event coming up for single moms, their children, and widows will occur the day before Mother's Day. We are inviting these people to the church for a free oil change and car wash. While they wait, the beauticians of the church will give them free haircuts if they want one.

"It's neat to see physical needs being met. It's even more rewarding to see that those met needs are an avenue for spiritual needs being met."

Headed for Alaska. Retired Mid-Atlantic Conference pastor and wife Jake and Mary Stover will spent four-and-a-half months in Alaska this summer. They'll leave May 15 and return around the beginning of October, traveling in their motor home through the western states, then through the Jasper/Banff National Park and up the Alcan highway to Alaska. They will work as volunteers at the radio/TV station KJNP (King Jesus North Pole) near Fairbanks. Five couples from Mid-Atlantic Conference will join them in late July for an eleven-day work project at the station. The Stovers will also spend some time travelling around the state visiting historic sites, vacationing, and fishing.

Lakeville, Ind. Olive Branch UB moved its Wednesday night Bible study from the church to individuals' homes on a rotating basis. The attendance increased and they saw a greater level of warmth. A young adults small group is in its early stages, with three young men participating, and another small group meets on Tuesday night in the parsonage.

On March 19-21, Olive Branch we had a great renewal service, with former pastor Dick Thorp speaking. Along with several rejuvenated spirits, one man committed his life to God as a result of a direct invitation and 20 years of prayer. Member Ben Yeo writes, "Sometimes a church in prayer and a familiar face from the past are the keys to a new life."

Jean Bell, from Brazil, reports: Today, April 18, hundreds of New Testaments should have been flown to a village to be distributed, but the translator who was to accompany them was denied access to the area. She thought that once the New Testaments were safe here in Cuiaba, everything would be okay. Not so. Pray that Satan will be defeated again and soon, so that believers can read the Word of God in their own language and carry it to others in remote areas where there has already been at least one martyr.

Although our major responsibility is teaching missionary kids in the Wycliffe mission school, we are involved in a small struggling local church--a daughter 'church.' It has struggled for years, because there are dozens of children but no adults. Sunday school turns out to be great babysitting time for the community.

Over the past five weeks, Wes and I, along with the pastor, have begun Bible studies in homes. This Thursday, the day before Easter, our pastor taught about how crucifixion affects us. At the end, he extended an invitation to accept Christ. Three responded. This first sign of the Lord's working, needless to say, is a real encouragement not only to us but to the pastor, who I'm sure has wondered whether the project merits his time. There were 20 people, half of them children, but all eager to meet again next week in another home.

Linda Burns Leaving Macau. Linda Burns will conclude six years of ministry in Macau this summer. She began her service as a volunteer missionary, raising her own support, and later as a partial-support missionary. Field Director Jana Hoobler writes, "Linda has worked fulltime at Macau Christian Academy, the school for missionary kids. She has also contributed countless hours to the United Brethren ministry in Macau, teaching classes in the English Language Program, assisting with church activities, leading Bible studies, etc. She will be greatly missed by the entire missionary community.

Summer Activities in Macau. Living Word Church is planning a variety of student activities for the summer. Jana Hoobler asks, "Please pray for the ministry of the church during July and August, when students are not in school fulltime. With the demanding Chinese school system, this is the only time of year that children are free very much. Living Word will hold special interest classes, an evangelistic camp, and VBS.

From Joe and Edna Miller: Greetings from the little kingdom of Swaziland, where our King Mswati III just had a big birthday celebration on April 19 to mark his 32nd birthday. We heard that $300,000 was spent on the big party, which was held here in Manzini.

We had a joyous Easter season as we again reflected upon Jesus' words, "It is finished." And because redemption's plan is finished, we are here doing our part to broadcast the Gospel daily. Joe has been involved now for lo these past 34 years. Again, we thank the Lord for health and strength to carry on daily.

In order to write to you folks today, I have had to put down the book I am reading and that was tough. The book is entitled Clementine Churchill written by her daughter Mary Soames. It is 750 pages so it is really taking a commitment to get through it these Easter vacation days. I am learning much about what made the Churchill household function. Both Clementine and her husband were faithful letter writers. I wonder what their lives would be like with email. The sad thing about email is that they generally aren't saved as letters are.

We went to a meaningful Good Friday service at the local Methodist church. Our hearts were quieted before the Lord as we again contemplated the meaning of the cross and its significance to us personally.

On Saturday we went to an Easter brunch at the home of one of our staff families. Our time together ended with the dedication of their new little daughter, Miriam. A most meaningful time. The event especially touched my heart, as I will travel to the States with the mother of this family and the three youngsters on either 30 June or 1 July to be with our daughter, Ruth, and her husband, Sotantar, in Arizona as they have a special birthday of our little grandbaby the very end of July.

It was 4:00 a.m. we got up on Easter morning to get ready for the sunrise service. A great time of celebration. Christ is risen, He is risen indeed! In the evening we had a visiting pastor from Germany with us for supper.

We rejoice that the transmitters at the site have been merrily doing their job this weekend. Joe is on call, but he has not had to make any emergency trips out there.

We constantly hear of the country of Zimbabwe being on the verge of civil war. That country is just to the north of us and is one of our targets. TWR has a studio and office in that country. Please pray with us that land reforms which are long, long overdue will be done in that country so there will not be a blood bath. Much healing needs to sweep over that land.

Thank you for your prayers, concern, and expressions of love for us. May we each be found faithful until that time of His glorious appearing.

Warmly, Joe and Edna Miller

Scottsdale, Ariz. Cindy Warnier, the Director of Music Ministries at NorthPointe Church in Scottsdale, sent this report about their Easter services. "We may be small in numbers but we sure were big in celebration! We had celebrative balloons attached to our pews (benches in the school), a wonderful Easter breakfast before church, and then a marvelous and uplifting worship.

It began with a drama of Mary Magdalene running to find Peter and tell him that Jesus was alive, using parts of Walter Wangerin's 'Reliving the Passion' drama setting of Mark's Gospel. The drama led into the song, 'He's Alive!', which brought our congregation alive' and ready to respond to the joy of the resurrection. The entire worship was not only celebrative, but positive and directive. We had opportunity after opportunity to tell the story of Jesus' life right up through resurrection.

Pastor Robert Simmons gave us a perspective of the 'stone' -- a most unique sermon that I would welcome anyone to contact us to receive a cassette copy. The nature of the sermon caused you to look again at the evidence of the risen Lord, examine what it means for you today and how it directs your life. Our praise team enjoyed following that message with a new Christian release, 'Can't Keep A Good Man Down,' which is a contemporary rock song completely theological in text (something which is not all that common). Our children closed the service leading us in singing 'God's NOT Dead' -- a song that we gladly joined in singing with conviction.

Huntington College. Two members of the coaching staff have chosen not to return next year. Josh Kesler resigned as men's soccer coach with the intent of concentrating his time on his Resident Director duties and his new daughter Lily. Sue Latourette resigned as head softball/athletic trainer/intramural director. Sue will be married on June 3 and move back to Chicago, where she and her husband-to-be grew up.

This opens up a full-time and a part-time position within the athletic department. They hope to combine one or the other of the head coaching jobs with the athletic training/intramural director positions to fill the fulltime opening. The other head coaching position would then be part-time.

If you are interested in either position or know someone who is, call 219-359-4284 for more information.