June 2000 News Archive

6/27/00

Corunna, Ind. On the weekend of June 9-11, Corunna UB celebrated its 125th anniversary. A variety of activities took place throughout the weekend. The Friday evening kick-off rally included special music, remembrances, and a challenging message from Rev. Dick Thorpe, the son of one of the former pastors.

Saturday started with a free pancake and sausage breakfast open to the public. The day featured old-fashioned buggy rides, children's games, lots of reminiscing, and a concert by the Auburn Community Band. The day concluded with a hog roast--again, free and open to the community--with close to 200 people attending, and an old-fashioned tent meeting.

On Sunday, following a concert by a local Christian musician, former pastors were recognized. Each received a frame print of an oil painting of the church as it appeared in 1903. It was painted by member Barbara Hirschy. The original painting was presented to the eldest member of the congregation, Paul McDonald, during the morning service. At the end of the service, the congregation gathered outside to dedicate a new church sign, and to dedicate themselves to ministry within the community for years to come.

Franklin, Pa. Members of the Christian Motorcycles Association spoke at Victory Heights UB in May, sharing their testimonies and experiences from ministering at various motorcycle rallies. Five adults responded to the invitation to accept Christ as Savior.

Carson City, Mich. In June, Mt. Hope UB sponsored "Operation Ooze," a mud volleyball tournament for several area churches.

Huntington, Ind. The denominational Bible Quiz Championship was held Saturday, June 24, at Huntington College. The team from Convoy UB of Convoy, Ohio, a church of about 30 people, went undefeated to win the title (they lost just one quiz all year). Paula Dennie of Convoy was the high scorer in the finals (and brother Benjamin was third). The team from Otterbein UB of Waynesboro, Pa., placed second, and Union Church of Huntington, Ind., placed third.

Blissfield, Mich. On June 18, First UB burned the mortgage on the $1.3 million loan used to build a new sanctuary, gymnasium, and eight classrooms. The debt was paid off in just under four years.

Findlay, Ohio. Faith UB honored nine high school and college graduates during its June 11 service. Cherie Peterson will travel to the Bahamas and Curascao with Word Of Life Youth Reachout. This is Cherie's third missions trip. This time, she is going as the music director.

Winchester, Va. As Pastor Jeremy McClung read the opening Scripture from Acts 2 one Sunday, the Living Water congregation looked around in astonishment--then broke into laughter. A member had decided it was getting too hot and turned on the window air conditioner the precise moment verse 2 was read: "Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house."

Chambersburg, Pa. Rhodes Grove Camp entered the summer with another record enrollment for its seven weeks of youth camps. The enrollment of 728 is a 9.5 percent increase over last year's record of 665. Dave Thrush, executive director, adds, "We are also eager for the construction of the Miller Lodging Wing to begin in August, sometime after Campmeeting 2000. The camp board is now waiting on bids to come in from several building companies."

Motion Picture Licenses. One hundred UB churches sent payment for the Motion Picture license, which allows them to legally show home videos from 40-some studios. As of June 15, they were all officially licensed. According to the Christian Copyright Licensing, Incorporated, over 200 United Brethren churches hold the CCLI license, which permits them to, among other things, copy the lyrics of most Christian songs onto songsheets or for electronic projection. CCLI only works directly with individual churches, with rates based on church size. The MPLC works directly with churches, but also offers "group discounts" for denominations (which is what we took advantage of to reduce the rate from $95 to $65).

Jerry City, Ohio. Jerry City UB held a picnic for the community, and 90-100 people attended. The event featured a Christian magician, Christian quartet, hot dogs, desserts and home made ice cream.

Fort Wayne, Ind. Anchor UB held a carnival on June 14 third annual community carnival on June 14. Because of thunderstorms, all of the events were held inside (including a moonwalk set up on the platform in the sanctuary). The first hour went real well, with about 150 people from the community participating in the games and barbecue chicken dinner. But things slowed down after tornado sirens went off (forcing everyone to go to the church's lower level for a little while). This was the church's third annual carnival. The first, in 1998, was actually held during the interval between the close of the former Third Street UB church and its restart in October of that year as Anchor UB.

Manchester, Pa. On Saturday, June 10, Strinestown UB gave away over 300 desserts through a community outreach project. The church's Evangelism Commission received permission from the local fire department to set up a table filled with desserts during the fire station's chicken barbecue dinner sale. The Evangelism Team and others from the church worked the table from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. For every chicken dinner, sold the church gave away a free dessert of different cakes and pies donated by church members. Accompany every dessert was a small business-size card that read, "To help you smile today, we are sharing God's love in a practical way." The cards also included scripture verses and Strinestown's service schedule. They figure they touched 100 families.

As the Evangelism Commission led this event for the community, Pastor Rick Brooks was in nearby York with another group from the church participating in the Walk for Jesus events.

Dayton, Ohio. Prescott UB changed its name to Lighthouse Community Church of the United Brethren in Christ.

Update on Alan DeCristoforo. Marlene DeCristoforo sent this note on June 26: "Just wanted to let you all know that we had a good week of chemo in Pittsburgh. Alan has even gotten most of his appetite back. He was eating double of everything, which the doctor was glad to see, since he has lost so much weight--165 pounds total. His spirits have really picked up some, too. Today he was a little sick because his body is not getting chemo and it has to adjust again.

"The blood clot in the leg has come down, but we still need to watch. They will continue with a blood thinner and just watch that his counts do not fall too fast. The next chemo is scheduled for July 24; then it will be the last one.

"I actually stayed home and enjoyed a family picnic on my side of the family. Of course, the phone was nearby just in case he would call, but I got to sit and watch the kids all play together with their cousins and enjoy myself.

Huntington College News

• Dr. Paul Fetters was selected as Professor of the Year by the Huntington College student body.
• Ron Coffey, associate dean of Student Development, was named Staff Member of the Year.
• Robert A. Seiple, United States Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, gave the May 13 Commencement address. Seiple served 11 years as president of World Vision, Inc., the world's largest privately-funded relief and development agency. In his current role, he promotes religious freedom worldwide, promotes reconciliation in areas with religious conflict, and makes sure the issue is woven into the fabric of US foreign policy. During the graduate ceremony, Seiple was awarded the honorary Doctor of Humane Letters.
• Fred L. Geyer, Jr., founder of Geyer Instructional Aids Company of Fort Wayne, Ind., was awarded the honorary (Doctor of Commercial Science. Geyer, a 1950 graduate of Huntington College, founded founded Geyer Instructional Aids Company, Inc., in 1960. The family-operated, catalog business offered a wide variety of educational materials, specializing in teaching aids for mathematics and science. Through the years, the company has donated substantial amounts of scientific equipment and classroom materials to Huntington College. He served as a Huntington College Trustee from 1980 to 1995, and continues to serve as Trustee Emeritus.
• Daniel R. Chamberlain, president of Houghton College (Houghton, New York), was also awarded the honorary Doctor of Humane Letters

Lancaster, Ohio. STRIVE is the primary fundraiser for Lancaster Ohio Youth Express. The name is an acronym for Students Turning Responsibility Into Valuable Experience. Rather than sell candy, fruit, or trinkets, the teens offer eight hours of community service.

For the past eight years, the Youth Express has partnered with Maywood Mission and has helped with assembling large toys, processing and folding clothes, scrubbing, mopping, sweeping, cleaning, washing, painting, mowing, landscaping, etc.

Prior to the work day, the students invited individuals and small businesses to sponsor them for $2.50 an hour. Interestingly, about one-third of the students who participate in STRIVE do very little, if any, fundraising--they just show up for the work. While providing valuable help, Youth Express over the past three years has raised over $18,000 to fund all of their missions, ministry, and fellowship activities.

Lakewood, Calif. Open Arms UB held its Homecoming on June 5. The event climaxed with the renaming of the worship center as the Cook/Davidson Worship Center, in honor of longtime members Herb and Lucille Cook and Gary and Ramona Davidson. Both couples are now retired and living elsewhere. About 50 people attended the service, some from as far away as Georgia and Texas. Former pastor Dennis Hunt was named Pastor Emeritus. Nick Kern and Bill Miller currently serve as co-pastors of Open Arms.

Huntington, Ind. A four-year Leadership Development Program aimed at younger ministers(approximately 45-50 and younger) concluded in May. About 160 pastors and spouses attended the three-day event, which focused on Spiritual Formation and was taught by Dr. Steve Harper. Year One, in1997, dealt with conflict management; Year Two focused on preaching; andYear Three's theme was "Leaders Developing Leaders." The by-invitation-of-the-bishop program was funded by a grant from the Merillat Foundation.

Bishop Seilhamer Teaching at HC. Bishop Ray Seilhamer will teach "Leading the Change Process" this fall at the Huntington College Graduate School of Christian Ministries. The dates are September 13-15 and November 8-10 (9:00--4:00 each day). To enroll for GSCM classes, call toll-free 1-888-424-7231.

Warren, Ind. Lynn Mefferd, pastor of Dillman UB (Warren, Ind.) underwent quintuple bypass surgery on June 3. Complications during the surgery made it a long day, and the five bypasses were more than was expected prior to surgery. He is recovering back at his home in Warren, Ind.

Jackson, Mich. Rev. Kurt Norris has resigned as the pastor of Gethsemane UB.

St. Mary's, Ohio. Al Carter has been named pastor of Hillsdale UB of St Mary's, effective July 1. He had been pastoring Stony Creek Church of the Brethren near Bellefontaine, Ohio. His parents are former missionaries in Sierra Leone.

Fort Erie, Ont. Mike Martinelli will become pastor of Garrision Road UB (Fort erie, Ont.) in August. He formerly pastored the Cumberland Valley Brethren in Christ church in Dillsburg, Pa. Mike is a graduate of Otterbein College and holds an M. Div. from Ashland Theological Seminary. He has been a trainer in the Sonlife Youth Strategy leadership team. He and his wife, Nedra, have two grown sons.

Bremen, Ohio. Hayley Leach joined the staff of Avlon UB on June 4. She is Director of Youth Ministries.

6/14/00

Lynn Mefferd Recovering from Bypass Surgery. Lynn Mefferd, pastor Dillman UB (Warren, Ind.) underwent quintuple bypass surgery on Friday, June 3. There were some complications during the surgery which made for a long day. The five bypasses were more than was expected prior to surgery. Lynn can be contacted at: 10358W-700S-90, Warren, IN 46792

Roger Martin Also Recovering. Roger Martin, pastor of First UB of Columbus, Ohio, is also recovering after surgery to remove a growth from one of his lungs. The growth was cancerous. Rev. Martin will need to undergo some radiation treatments.

News from Paul Coy. Paul emailed this update from Macau on June 13.

Linda's Farewell Party took place this past Sunday night at Living Water Church. Of course a lot of mixed feeling were going on, but it was a good time for everyone. Please pray for Linda as she is concluding her six years of service in Macau. Pray she will be able to find the teaching job God wants her to have and supply her needs as she adjusts to life in America.

I taught my last class at the Pui Ching school in Macau. It was definitely a good year. At the beginning of the year, I didn't feel like I was connecting with the 11th graders this year. Now, I wish I could teach them longer. I feel like there are a lot of unfinished ministry opportunities. Please pray that I will be able to stay in contact with the students God wants me to.

Tomorrow morning at 11 a.m., which would be 11 p.m. EST on Wednesday night in the States, Karis, Jana, Jen, Eve, and I will go to our new center on Taipa. Eve is back on break from Singapore Bible College. We are going to have a time of prayer and planning for the future ministry on Taipa. So, during game 4 of the NBA finals you can pray for the Pacers (sorry, I am from Indiana!) and pray for Taipa.

Other Tidbits from Macau. Jana Hoobler sent the following.

• The architect drawing our plans for Taipa has told me that it may be a few months before we can even begin remodeling, because the government must approve the plans first. This was discouraging news. Pray for God's perfect timing, and for us to have wisdom in how to plan for ministry this fall. Also, I learned from a Brazilian missionary that our architect is not a Christian...but he is very open to the gospel. Pray that our testimony to him will be a positive one.
• I'm thankful that Milan Maybee is here right now. His experience with building projects is a big help!
• June 13 was our last day of teaching students in China. We won't be continuing this ministry next year, due to having fewer and fewer staff members. Pray that the seeds that have been planted will bear much fruit.
• Our team had a great three-day retreat in Hong Kong on June 4-6. It was held at Bethany House, a retreat center for missionaries on an island named Cheung Chau. I really enjoyed just having some laid back time with the team. We're usually all busy and headed a lot of different directions each day, so it was nice just to have time to enjoy being together. The entire group is in the photo: (L-R) Linda Burns, Jana Hoobler, Paul Coy, Jennifer Blandin, Margaret Maybee, Milan Maybee.
• On Sunday night, June 11, we held a farewell party for Linda Burns, who will not be returning to teach after this summer. Pray for Linda as she's getting things packed and saying many good-byes. Pray that her farewell will be special time for her, a good testimony to the non-Christians who attend, and a time of thanks to God for His work in Linda's life in Macau.
• Jen Blandin and I had dinner with our real estate agent, Miss Lee. She was very helpful to us in locating a place on Taipa and thinking of ways to best use the space in the storefront we are renting, and we wanted to thank her. We also wanted to share our faith with her in some way. She talked andtalked about a lot of different things in her life and family. She wants to get together for a BBQ later this summer. Pray that our friendship will help lead her to Christ.
• In Sunday school at Living Word Church, I had the students fill out a simple response card to the gospel. I want to find time to talk with three students--Siu May Seen, Cho Haan, and Carmen--about the gospel one-on-one. All three seem very sincere in wanting to learn more about God. All come from Buddhist homes. Pray for the right opportunity to talk with each of them.
• Lily, an ELP student, came to Living Word's worship service again last Sunday with her granddaughter. Another visitor also came with her two daughters. She is a friend of our church member Annie. Pray that they will continue attending services.
• Margaret Maybee taught a Sunday School teacher training class on Saturday, June 10. She shared many ideas for creatively teaching the Bible. Thank the Lord for our church members who are willing to work at becoming better teachers.

Charlotte, Mich. Crossroads UB is selling "Pink Flamingo" Insurance to raise money for sending kids to Camp Living Waters. The Christian Education Team came up with the idea of planting a pair of Pink Flamingos in a church member's yard (without being caught by said member). The flamingoed member would pay $5 to the camping fund and then have to take it to another member's yard without being caught. If caught, another $5 fine would have to be paid. This idea brought on another idea by Pastor Mike Arnold to sell "Pink Flamingo" insurance for $7, which prevented anyone from planting the pink birds on your property. So far, over 30 policies have been written.

Wusts on Furlough. The Wust family left Honduras on June 2 to spend a couple months back in Indiana. They wrote, "We are looking forward to seeing friends and family, and also a time of much needed rest and relaxation."

Osbergs Leaving Honduras. Debbie Osberg writes, "We rejoice in the end of another great school year! It's been a busy time of many good-byes, and times of reflection, as well as planning for our move ahead. It is with deep gratitude that we write you for the last time from Honduras to thank you for your continued support and to fill you in on our latest news and details.

"We will leave Honduras on Tuesday, June 13, and fly directly to Indiana. You can reach us throughout the rest of June at my mom's house at: 1175 Ash Street, Huntington, IN 46750. Our new email address is: osberg54@hotmail.com. Our address after July 8 will be: 5456 NW 44 Way, Coconut Creek, FL 33073

"The Lord opened up an opportunity recently for me to go to Ft. Lauderdale for a few days to look at houses to buy. We are thrilled with the house the Lord provided! It's in a good location, close to the school, large and very comfortable, on a lake with a nice view, and even a pool down the street that we can use. We are so thankful and getting excited about our new home and settling down again. The Lord is so good!

"Please continue to pray for the many details ahead as we move. We have experienced an incredible outpouring of love and appreciation as we leave the school, our church, and community. We have been richly blessed and give the Lord the honor and glory."

Update on Alan DeCristoforo. June started with an eventful week for the DeCristoforo family. Ed Hutchison, a parishioner at Highland Heights UB (New Castle, Pa.) sent this update on June 3: "Alan was taken to and came back from West Penn Hospital in Pittsburgh last week. His blood counts were down and he needed blood. He was also having the normal discomforts of chemotherapy. He received four pints of blood and was doing much better.

"Alan's youngest son, Louie, was taken to Jameson hospital on June 1 for two infected ears and strep throat, with dehydration. He was running a high fever. They determined that the strep infection had entered his blood stream. He will require surgery to remove his tonsils in the near future.

"Things are not well with Al. He is having problems comprehending and conversing with folks. He is not behaving in the normal manners. They are going to do a CAT scan on Sunday or Monday. Marlene is still alive--barely she says. She has found out what is wrong with her back. She has two pinched nerves from stopping Al's fall in January. She is to do special exercises and continue chiropractic manipulations. That was good news.

"Al's mom, Millie, is taking radiation treatments once a day in follow-up to her surgery for breast cancer. She must take a total of 33 low-dose treatments. She is experiencing some shin irritation from the treatments and is uncomfortable. "

"I stand amazed at the strength that Marlene is able to draw from our Lord. Your prayers are a major part of this gift from God. This family is still committed to making it back home together. Beyond health concerns, ask God to protect their home. The neighbor's home was broken into, and there was evidence that someone used a screwdriver on the rear door of Al's home and didn't get in. This does not leave a woman staying at home at night alone feeling very secure."

On June 12, Marlene sent this note: "Thank you for all the prayers during the past two weeks. It has been rough, but Al is doing wonderful. He has had a great week and is in a new wheel chair which has helped him stay up longer--two and a half hours the other day. He is getting his spirit to fight back again, and is talking more about wanting to get back to the church--which is great to hear after all these months of him being quiet.

"Louie, our son who was in the hospital, is doing great; he goes tomorrow for a check up . I look for it to be a good check up. Al goes to West Penn next week for his dose of chemo. So far the cancer has staying in remission.

"Some good news from us for a change. On Tuesday, June 13, we will celebrate our 13^th anniversary. We are going to renew our wedding vows at the nursing home with a few friends. We are getting excited and I think it has helped Alan some also."

Byron Center, Mich. Banner of Christ Church, a 300-plus congregation near Grand Rapids, is looking for a new Director of Youth Ministries. Our fulltime position involves working with 60-75 junior high and senior high young people in a contemporary praise and worship congregation. Salary and benefits package are negotiable depending on experience. Our former youth pastor was used of God to build a solid core of committed youth using the Sonlife philosophy of ministry. We hope to hire by the end of June, so interested persons should contact Pastor Mike Caley.

New Gifts for HC. Huntington College received two new grants toward the capital campaign. The National City Bank Foundation will contribute $50,000 over five years. The English-Bonter-Mitchell Foundation will contribute $150,000 over five years. Both grants are the first received from these two foundations.

Chambersburg, Pa. The St. James UB Missions Commission held a yard and bake sale on May 6 to raise money to send children and youth to summer camps at Rhodes Grove. Over $400 was raised! The Worship Commission held several social events this year. There was a Sweetheart Banquet in February. In March, it was their "Windy Picnic"-- kites, model rockets, bubbles, and balloons were part of the event. A banquet was held in June to honor parents.

Virtual Postcards. The Huntington College site now has a Virtual Postcards feature. You can choose from three sets of images: Campus Scenes, Student Life, and Retro Photos. It was designed in a senior seminar class by computer science majors Joel Foudy, Sara Ott, and Heather Stapleton, under the direction of Prof. Jeff Lehman. This team also created the Four Seasons at Huntington College Screen Saver.