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October 2000 News Archive

11/13/2000

Executive Director, Rhodes Grove Camp. The board of dirctors of Rhodes Grove Camp, Chambersburg, Pa., is searching for an executive director. This person should posses excellent communication skills, a bachelor's degree in Business Management, experience in personnel management, fundraising and development skills, great leadership skills, and good computer skills. Interested candidates should forward a resume to: Rhodes Grove Camp, c/o Personnel Committee, 7693 Brown's Mill Road, Chambersburg, Pa., 17201. For more information, call 717-375-4162, or send email to Dean Hoffman. FAX: 717-528-8660. Rhodes Grove Camp is a ministry of the Mid-Atlantic Conference of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ.

10/31/2000

Director of Children's Ministries. Mt. Pleasant UB (Chambersburg, PA) is looking for a fulltime Director of Children's Ministries. This person would give leadership to all children's ministries, infant to 6th grade. Primary responsibilities would be leadership and vision, administration, recruiting, as well as motivating and equipping lay volunteer staff. If interested, please send a resume to Daryl Elliott (the senior pastor). You may also write the church at 2509 Black Gap Road, Chambersburg, PA 17201. A job description will be sent to all applicants.

Youth and Children's Ministries Director. Prince Street UB in Shippensburg, Pa., is looking for a Youth and Children's Ministries director. Responsibilities include working with a small youth group and children in grades 4 and 5. This person must have a strong commitment to Christ, a love for children, a pioneering positive attitude, and the ability to work with existing lay and pastoral staff. Musical ability is a plus. Enthusiastic Christians should contact and/or send resume to: Personnel Commission, Prince Street UB church, 20 North Prince St., Shippensburg, Pa. 17257. You may also call the church office at: (717) 532-8404.

10/25/2000

October 21 Update on Alan DeCristoforo. Alan sent this update on his situation. At the beginning of the year, he was diagnosed with leukemia, and complications led to partial paralysis.

Hi. I am still alive and doing better. I'm at home and loving it. Next week I should be getting my regular wheelchair. So far I've been using a loner. I'm also looking for a new computer; this one is going back into the shop.

Next week I start outpatient therapy at the Jameson clinic in New Castle. Until now my physical therapy has been in home. I can stay in my wheelchair long enough for the ride there and back as well as the two-hour workout.

Please continue praying for Highland Heights church. Since the death of Rev. Marshal last week, there is a void there. He was filling the pulpit until I return. I have some decisions to make in the near future. One big one is if I can start preaching again. I've been attending services the last month and am able to sit through the service and lunch afterwards. Next week we are having a memorial service for Rev. Marshall. I will be presiding at this service. I'm starting slowly; maybe 1 or 2 sermons a month.

I checked with Social Security about my disability. They cleared preaching for at least 9 months. Also, since the church is unable to pay my salary, we've been living off of the money donated to the church for us, as well as SSD.

On a good note, I did loose 180 lbs. and 18 inches from my waste. I do not recommend leukemia as a diet. But I'll take the weight loss. In fact, I am now on something that I never thought I would be on. The doctor put me on medication to increase my appetite. My wife and parents have been out buying me new clothes.

Continue praying for my wife. Marlene is my primary caregiver. She has to help wash and dress me, get in and out of my wheelchair, bed, and wheelchair van. She's getting better as a driver now that she is the only driver in the family. Her muscles are getting bigger. Our kids are a big help as well. They love helping daddy. They do a good job of it.

I received a present from my aunt yesterday. She gave me her mother's Bible and songbook from the Italian Episcopal Methodist Church. The Bible has one column in English and the next in Italian. The song book is all Italian, just the words. My Grandmother got them when she became a Christian in 1914. Also there was some scribbling and doodles in the songbook. My aunt didn't need to tell me who did the doodles. They're the same ones my dad still does on his bulletin today. The same ones I do as well.

VBS Project for Mexico. The VBS Project this year was Bolsa Bags for Mexico. These are packets containing a variety of items--crayons, pencils, writing tablets, assorted school supplies, toys, stuffed animals, coloring books, clothing, snack foods, hair accessories for girls, etc.

As of mid-October, 280 Bolsa Bags had been packed at the UB Offices, ready to be sent west. The bags are marked as either "Boys" or "Girls," and the appropriate age group for that particular bag is also designated. The bags will be distributed to children during the Christmas season. Each Bolsa Bag includes a booklet telling (in Spanish) the Christmas story.

A wonderful assortment of items was received from across the denomination. A special thank you to Eleanore Datema, Alice Myers, Miriam Prabhakar, and a team of ladies from College Park UB in Huntington, Ind. They volunteered many hours unpacking the boxes of gifts that we received, then sorting and repacking the bags into the shipping boxes.

In addition to the gifts, we received $12,845 from churches, which will be used to buy shipping materials, cover shipping costs, and pay for customs charges at the Mexican border.

News from one of our Sierra Leone churches. John M. Sesay, pastor of Faith UB in Lumley, Sierra Leone, sent this report:

Praise the Lord for what He is doing for us at the Faith UB church in Lumley. Lumley. Even though the members are recovering from the effect of the war in our country they are very enthusiastic to serve the Lord.

Since God has increased the membership, the church has embarked on church extension to accommodate the increase. The extension needs your prayer support and God's guidance as the members are working hard toward completing the first phase. Please pray that God will provide these items for us--15 bundles of roofing zinc, 100 bags of cement, and 28 pews that will each seat eight worshippers.

We appreciate a lot you sending us the information concerning the 200th anniversary of our church. It's like we were there with you. We pray that the impact of that celebration will be felt here in Sierra Leone.

Faith UB held its 11th annual Thanksgiving Service October 1-8. We showed the movie "The Ultimate Power 3 & 4." On Monday, we had our flag-raising, and a panel discussion later in the evening. The topic for the discussion was "Why Wait." It was well-handled by the panelists and all present were richly blessed.

Tuesday was reunion night. The founding members came and shared their experiences with the present members. It was very refreshing as new members for the first time heard about some of the struggles the founding members went through and the victories they won through Jesus.

Wednesday was Prayer Meeting. The film "Transformation" was shown. We witnessed revival in some parts of the world as one man or woman or few groups of people with the Lord's burden on their hearts prayed and God did the impossible. We ended up praying for revival in the UB Church in Sierra Leone.

On Thursday, we displayed our talents through a drama entitled "Man nar Ungrateful Porsin," which means "man is ungrateful." Friday featured another film show, "Ultimate Power 6 & 8." We cleaned the church on Saturday and decorated it for Sunday, the climax of the celebration.

Over 500 attended the service on Sunday. This was the largest crowd that had gathered at the church this year. The theme was "Strengthening the weak hands" (Isa. 35:3). The preacher, Mr. John Tucker, did justice to the theme, exhorting us for 30 minutes. In strengthening the weak, he said the emotional, physical, psychological, and spiritual aspects had to be taken care of. As Christians we have to stretch out our hands to those that are in need. He said that some of us are in the position to help, but we fold our hands and see people suffering. In closing, he admonished all of us to behave like the early Christians and share with the needy. Others aspects of the service was the crowning of the King and Queen of the Group and the Peace Tree. All the groups in the church--youth, MMI, WMF, and the children--added light to the program through their beautiful singing.

Harrisburg, Pa. Devonshire UB is sponsoring an outreach concert on November 27 featuring The Kry. The congregation is being encouraged to invite family members, friends, neighbors, coworkers, etc. , to the event.

Devonshire UB is in the process of buying property in the immediate area for future expansion of its facilities. Devonshire is located in a residential neighborhood in suburban Harrisburg.

Mason, Mich. Eden UB Celebrates 100 Years. Eden UB of Mason, Mich., celebrated its 100th anniversary on October 22. The day included three services packed with music, words from former ministers (as far back as 1949), and a "past and present" choir. The old altar from the original church was restored and placed in the present sanctuary. Michigan state representative Paul Deweese attended the morning service and presented a certificate signed by Governor John Engler. The day's final presentation was a choir anthem, "The Church Still Stands," with all of the youth and children filling the front of the church and carrying the Christian flag to represent the future church.

Rev. Milan Maybee, a former pastor at Eden, says, "Pastor Wes Emerson and his associate, Dan Bentz, look forward to what God has in store for this 100-year-old church and still stands today and is alive and well."

Two Church Closings

  • Immanuel UB in Carlisle, Pa., will hold its final service on November 26. It will be a time of thanksgiving for how the Lord has used this ministry over the past 20 years. Superintendent Anthony Blair will deliver the message that morning. Paul Dunbar is pastor.
  • Patricia Park Congregation in Urbandale, Iowa will disband on October 31, 2000.

Remember Nita Dey? She first went to Sierra Leone as a nurse at Mattru Hospital, but had to be evacuated (along with all other UB missionaries) soon after arriving there. The Mission Board then sent her to serve at the Narsapur Hospital in India, but she had to leave when the government wouldn't renew her visa.

Nita's last name is now Speidel. Anthony Blair, a superintendent in Mid-Atlantic Conference, gives this update. Nita Dey Speidel is holding Bible studies in two apartment buildings in Columbia, Md. In fact, she met her husband Roger through one of her studies, and married him after he accepted the Lord there! The Mid-Atlantic Conference is likely to designate Columbia as a "preaching point" in our November 10 conference council meeting. Nita and Roger are members of the Brooklyn Park UB church in Baltimore.

October 19 Update from Paul Coy

October has been a great month in Macau. The team enjoyed having President Blair and Chris Dowden in Macau, October 8-13. He is on sabbatical from Huntington College. I had the privilege of running with President Dowden three times. The last time we ran across the bridge to Taipa and back. The Dowdens are now in Myanmar for several weeks to help with the mission work there.

President Dowden trusted me enough to put his life in my hands as I gave him a ride on my motorcycle over to our new center on Taipa. The Dowdens were able to see the beginning of the remodeling of our center. We received the license from the government on Friday, October 6. Construction started the next day. Praise the Lord! It is awesome to see actual work taking place. The remodeling process should take around two months.

The English Club at Pui Ching has been going great. Around 30 students have been coming each week. This Saturday night, I will kick off the "barbecue season" at my house. The weather finally has cooled down to under 80 degrees and less than 90% humidity. Around 15 students from the English Club will come to my house. I am praying for chances to witness to the students.

Next Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday is the Pui Ching Sport Day. The students do not need to study, but they have to participate in the track and field events. It is a great opportunity to talk with the students, because they are quite bored watching the track and field events.

Also, next Tuesday I will start an English Bible Study at Living Water Church. It will be held every Tuesday night from 8:30 to 9:30.

From Jana Hoobler

  • Renovations have begun on Taipa! It's so exciting to see daily progress being made. The contractor has been very helpful and cooperative. The Lord brought the final paperwork through last week, in spite of a couple of public holidays! Please pray for wisdom as we progress on Taipa. We want to be good stewards of the funds God has provided. Please also pray for safety for the men doing the work.
  • The Macau team has been excited to see renovations begin on Taipa! Final approval from the government came through early in October, and work began immediately. The construction should take around two months. After that, we will still have to wait for final inspections and approval by the Education Department before beginning classes. Several different government departments are reviewing the documents we've turned in to the Education Department to apply for a school license for Taipa.
  • On September 23, the Macau Team held a prayer walk to encourage supporters in the States to pray for all aspects of the work in Macau. We walked all around the peninsula of Macau, pausing in the middle for a time of prayer. Even Bishop Wilber and Mossie Sites completed the eight-mile trek!
  • On Saturday, October 28, Bishop and Mossie Sites, Jana, Jennifer, and I will be have a prayer walk across the bridge to Taipa. It would be great if you and your church could join us on this day in praying for the work on Taipa Island.
  • We've enjoyed having Dr. Blair and Chris Dowden from Huntington College here this week to visit our team. We're thanking God for their encouragement and the fun times we've had together!
  • On October 22, our team attended the annual missions conference held by Hong Kong Conference. Teacher Lee, who leads the work in Thailand, was ordained that afternoon.
  • Jennifer Blandin and I are trying to get the English Bible Study at Living Word Church started again this term. No students came on Saturday, October 21. Pray that students will want to learn more about God's Word.
  • Living Word Church resumed its tutoring program in September. Each afternoon, parents may come with their children from 4-5 p.m. to help them review their homework. From 5-7 p.m., tutors work with the students. Pastor Connie Sung leads this ministry, which is a joint ministry to the tutors, children, and parents.
  • Paul Coy is holding an English Club three afternoons each week at Pui Ching Middle School. He uses a variety of activities to get to know the students better and share the gospel with them.
  • On August 28-29, we had a camp with junior high students from Living Word Church. God provided wonderful weather in spite of forecasts of rain. We're considering this a miracle, because the whole time, a typhoon was going through Hong Kong! It was a good time of building relationships with the students, most of whom aren't Christians.

Death in the Family. Eva Shaible, a former member of the denominational Missions board, died in her sleep the day after her 97th birthday. She served in various capacities within the Pacific, Oregon and Northwest conferences. Eva was instrumental in starting two churches in Vancouver, Wa.

Update on Nick Swirski. Brian Magnus sent this report: "Rev. Nick Swirski , a former Ontario pastor, underwent radiation treatments in July and has returned to the chaplaincy at the Maplehurst Correctional Facility. He went back part-time in September, and returned to fulltime status in October. Nick will have another MRI done in January, along with other tests, at which time they'll be able to determine the degree of success in eradicating the "acoustic neuroma" in his brain. At the moment, Nick's headaches only occur about every four to five 5 days, so he's been able to reduce his medication, which has helped his stomach. Please keep praying for Nick, Marlene, and their two children."

Update on Roger Martin. On October 8, Rev. Roger Martin was back in the pulpit at First UB in Columbus, Ohio, preaching for the first time in many weeks. He was still a little weak, but felt well enough to preach. Roger had been admitted to the hospital because the stump where a lung had been removed (from a cancer surgery last spring) was leaking air. Over the Labor Day weekend, doctors also discovered a brain tumor, and that led to radiation treatments. Those treatments caused leakage in the stump, and he had to be hospitalized again. The leak has since stopped on its down and doesn't appear to be of any concern. Roger will undergo a complete cancer evaluation at University Hospital in Columbus later this month.

Among Pastors

  • Marion Burkett will begin his tenure as the interim pastor at the Willshire Church (Willshire, OH) on Friday, September 15. Ken Thompson served as interim pastor for four weeks. The Central Conference Stationing Committee will begin the search for the church's next pastor.
  • Murray Stevens, pastor of Mt. Olivet (Adams County) UB in Aspers, Pa., received his Annual Conference license to preach the gospel on August 3, 2000 at Mid-Atlantic Annual Conference held at Rhodes Grove Camp. Mt. Olivet held a surprise appreciation picnic on Sunday, August 13, to honor Pastor Stevens and his wife, Connie, along with the Sunday school officers, and to also celebrate Pastor Murray's birthday.
  • Michael Hewitt is the new youth pastor at First UB in Blissfield, Mich. His wife, Kimberly, is the church's new Director of Worship and Music. They have moved to the Blissfield area, along with their one-year old daughter Brianne. The Hewitts were previously at a church in the Chicago area.
  • Rev. George and Linda Dorsett were involved in an auto accident in Huntington, Ind. George was pastor of the church in Van Buren, Ind., when it closed earlier this year. George and Linda were Care Flighted to Parkview Hospital in Fort Wayne. Linda was soon released, but George remained so tests could be done to determine why he apparently blacked out while driving.
  • Mark Rutledge resigned as pastor of Zion UB of Willshire, Ohio.
  • Robert Reid is the new pastor at Friendship Church in Vancouver, Wa. He formerly pastored the UB church in Lake Brantley, Fla.

Clarksburg, W. Va. Living Water Church held its first public worship service on Sunday night, October 1. About fifty people attended in the school auditorium they are renting.. This was the first of several monthly "preview" services designed to give people a taste of the church's style of ministry and, according to Pastor Chris Mullet, "Give us a chance to work out the bugs." The next two preview services will be held at 6:30 p.m. on November 5 and December 3. "We will begin to worship weekly on Sunday mornings after the new year," says Mullet.

Living Water is one of three new churches currently being started by Mid-Atlantic Conference. Mullet says, "A group of people from the Mid-Atlantic Conference began to pray for a new church in Clarksburg about five years ago. For nearly a year now, several people on site have gathered to prayer about this church plant. In July, we began meeting as a small group each Sunday night to study, pray, worship, and fellowship together. It's been a stretching time for all of us, but God is so faithful to meet our every need.

Beginning October 18, the congregation began, via satellite, live leadership training broadcasts. John Maxwell, C. Peter Wagner, Lee Strobel, and other top Christian leaders will bring seminars on topics like evangelism, prayer, worship, youth ministry, and leadership every month. Says Mullet, "Our desire is to offer training programs locally that will open up opportunities for pastors who can't afford the cost and time involved in traveling to high-quality conferences out of our area."

Mt. Solon, Va. On Sunday, October 15, Mt. Olivet UB held a special service as part of Pastor Appreciation Month. A covered dish meal came after the worship service, followed by a hayride. The children's church made posters describing why they appreciated their pastor. Other signs placed around the church praised the pastor's work. In another act of appreciation, the congregation gave the pastor and his wife plane tickets to visit family in Alabama.

Big Laurel, Kentucky. The Laurel Mission Board of Directors authorized the beginning of a fundraising project to replace the former gymnasium that collapsed due to the mining operations under the mission. They are currently in the design and cost-evaluation stages for a new multi-purpose facility. Superintendent Tom Brodbeck writes, "We dream of a partnership with other community resources to enable us to teach adult literacy, add a middle school to the Living Waters Christian School, and start a small clinic with visiting nurses.

Death of Rev. F. Dickson Marshall. Rev. F. Dickson Marshall, 75, passed away on October 11. He went to Highland Heights last April, volunteering to lead the church while Pastor Alan DeCristoforo was recuperating from leukemia. He assigned himself the title of "ministering pastor," and insisted that DeCristoforo retain the title of "senior pastor.

Sue Hutchison, a member, wrote, "In the few months that we had him as our dear pastor, he was able to completely worm his way into our hearts. He is very missed by our church family. 'Rev,' as he preferred to be called, was a far-sighted man and always had a project. He felt our "little church" simply needed a steeple. He was still with us when it arrived, but he never saw it installed. We were able to do that on October 18. A special service on October 29 will honor Rev, and we will place the steeple in his honor and memory with a plaque. Marshall spent 50 years working with the New Castle City Rescue Mission, and over 20 years doing live early-morning radio broadcasts.

"You had to run to keep up with him," said Karen Hutchison, board secretary and Sunday School teacher at Highland Heights. "He was so full of life, energy and enthusiasm. He inspired those around him to do things above and beyond their abilities because he thought they could".You'd work with him and think 'This man could probably walk on water.' You knew he walked with God.

Hutchison said Marshall was "a giant who walked into our tiny church of 14 families. He drew more than 100 people to services. We couldn't figure out why God sent him to us, but maybe it was we who God sent to him. He was like a little kid with a new toy and we are the better for it."

Although retired from the mission, Marshall went to Highland Heights in April to help the congregation's ailing pastor, the Rev. Alan DeCristoforo. He assigned himself the title "ministering pastor" and insisted DeCristoforo be called senior pastor.

Hong Kong's 50th Anniversary. On September 24, Hong Kong Conference celebrated its 50th anniversary. It was a great celebration of all God has done to establish the churches and social work there over the past five decades. Superintendent Peter Lee, Missions Director Mark Choi, Social Services Director K. K. Chan, and founder C. C. Au Yeung shared in the afternoon. Nearly 600 people, including members of the Macau Team, attended the morning worship service. Bishop Emeritus Wilber Sites, in Macau as a volunteer, gave the benediction.

10/1/2000

Roger Martin Hospitalized--Prayer Needed. Pastor Roger Martin of First UB (Columbus, Ohio) was diagnosed with cancer in the lungs some months ago. He has had surgery and has undergone radiation and chemotherapy. On Monday, September 4, he was diagnosed with a tumor on the brain. Conference Superintendent Tom Brodbeck sent this note on September 26: "Rev. Roger Martin has been admitted to Riverside Methodist Hospital (Columbus, OH). Apparently there is a serious level of bleeding in the area where his lung was removed earlier this summer. It is my understanding that the situation is currently considered life threatening. Please lift him up in your prayers."

Urgent Need for Fulltime Missionaries in Macau. Jana Hoobler writes, "The Macau team is in desperate need of more fulltime missionaries. Since 1998 we've been understaffed, leaving us operating the English Language Program largely through the help of many short-term volunteers. As we anticipate building relationships to begin ministry on Taipa, we desperately need missionaries who will commit to remaining in Macau for a full three-year term. These missionaries would be involved in teaching English as a Foreign Language as a tool for evangelism. They would also be involved in children's, youth, or other church ministries.

"Is God calling you to Macau? Do you know someone who you could urge to consider this need? Surely there are couples or singles across the denomination who could come to serve in Macau as full-time missionaries. If you would like more information, please contact the Missions Department or contact me directly at elp@macau.ctm.net."

Amanda Reeck Breaks Her Ankle. Amanda Reeck, the 18-year-old daughter of Wycliffe Missionaries Roger and Marilyn Reeck (in La Ceiba, Honduras), is attending Pensacola Bible College in Florida. On September 16, she fell during soccer practice and fractured her ankle in two places. She underwent surgery on September 20. Her older sister Teresa is on staff at the college.

Director of Adult Ministries. King Street UB (Chambersburg, Pa.) is looking for a new Director or Pastor of Adult Ministries. This person would be responsible for resourcing all adult Sunday school, small groups, and other adult ministries. This person would also assist with speaking in the contemporary worship service, and would oversee that area of ministry. This is a fulltime position which the church wants to fill by November. Send resumes to: pat@kschurch.org (that's senior pastor Pat Jones). Ground mail: Rev. Pat Jones, King Street UB church, 162 East King St., Chambersburg, Pa. 17201.

Want to Go to Honduras in January? Trenton Hills UB (Adrian, Mich.) is sponsoring a work trip to Honduras from January 13-20, 2001. The group will fly from Detroit. They still need two or three workers with some building experience to join the team. If you’re interested in participating, contact Jeff Degen at (419) 647-1140, or by email at: jdworldwide@hotmail.com

General Conference Elections. Throughout October, your church will hold elections for General Conference delegates. All members of your church can vote. Every church will receive ballots containing the names of nominees for ministerial delegates and lay delegates from your conference. The number of ministers and laypersons will be the same, but the total number will vary, depending on the size of your conference. Each church must also appoint a Board of Tellers to oversee the election, and to send the results to the conference board of tellers.

Tidbits from Macau. Jana Hoobler sent these informational updates about the ministry in Macau on October 2.

  • Our Children's Fellowship at Living Word Church combined with another church in the neighborhood for an evangelistic service on Saturday, September 30. Three children accepted Christ during the event. Praise the Lord for their open hearts to the gospel! Pray for Pastor Connie Sung as she does follow-up counseling with them.
  • I picked up the license for remodeling Taipa last Friday! Now we only need to wait for one more document before we can begin. Hopefully I can pick it up this Thursday or Friday.
  • An all-city evangelistic service is being held this Saturday night. We'll be inviting our ELP students. Please especially pray that the students who were in our English Bible Study last term will attend.
  • On September 24, several of us attended Hong Kong Conference's 50th anniversary celebration. It was a great encouragement to me as I thought about all that God will do here in Macau in the next 40 years! Praise the Lord for the vision of our Hong Kong churches to begin this work in Macau around 12 years ago!
  • On Saturday, September 23, we missionaries walked the perimeter of the Macau peninsula and had a time of prayer for Living Water Church, Living Word Church, the ELP, and Taipa. Praise the Lord for safety and a fun time of fellowship together. I was so impressed that Bishop and Mossie Sites even walked the whole way...around 8 miles! (I hope I'm that healthy in my retirement!)
  • ELP fall classes got off to a good start with a much improved enrollment over last term. Praise the Lord for the students He has led to our program!
  • Ministry at Pui Ching High School has started for another year. Many students seem open to spending extra time with our teachers outside of class. Pray for Paul Coy and Rev. Wilber and Mossie Sites as they teach there each week.

From Paul Coy in Macau. On September 23, the Macau team walked around Macau. Bishop and Mossie Sites, Jana, Jennifer, and I started at 8:30 in the morning. We finished our eight-mile trek around the Macau peninsula around noon. We stopped two times and had a good time of prayer for Living Water, Living Word, ELP, and Pui Ching.

The school year at Pui Ching is off to a great start. Last week, I started the English Club (fellowship). I had planned to only have one a week, but I decided to have it on Tuesday and Thursday from 1:15-2:00 p.m. and Saturday from 2:00-3:00 p.m. after 50 students showed interest. Twelve students came on Tuesday and nine students came on Thursday and Friday. I praise God that I now have the opportunity to begin building relationships with these 30 students.

We had an "English Olympics" where we played different games. At the end I gave them each a medal: a piece of paper with a gold Hershey kiss on it and I Corinthians 9:24-25 written on it. I had a short devotional using this verse. I hope to start a Bible study from the students who show interested. Keep on praying for the students at Pui Ching.

On Sunday, Jana, Bishop and Mossie Sites, and I went to Hong Kong for the 50th Anniversary of Hong Kong Conference. God deserves the praise for the way He has used the Hong Kong United Brethren Conference. We had a wonderful time worshipping with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Ground-Breaking in Flint, Mich. On September 17, Richfield Road UB of Flint broke ground for a $490,000 addition to the present building. The addition will contain some much needed classrooms and a gymnasium. When the building is completed, the church will have facilities for a greater emphasis on Christian education and youth activities. The recreation facilities are intended to provide fellowship and to increase outreach to the community.

Update on AJ Pitts. A posting on September 12 mentioned that A. J. Pitts, son of Pastor Bill and Debbie Pitts of Lancaster UB (Lancaster, Ohio) had been injured in a football game and was experiencing a degree of paralysis. Conference Superintendent Tom Brodbeck sent this update on September 18: "A. J. Pitts came home from the hospital early last week and returned to school on Friday. Bill reports that the MRI, CatScan and all 25 X-rays revealed no structural damage to AJ's spine. AJ is recovering nicely, but the day at school on Friday left him with a sore neck. AJ's right side was totally paralyzed when he was admitted to the hospital last Friday night. By Monday evening, about 75% of the strength had returned to his right arm and hand." In a follow-up on September 25, Brodbeck reported, "AJ Pitts has been released from his doctor's care at this point. He is back to normal and has permission (at least from the medical staff) to resume all activities."

Bluffton, Ind. Pastor Larry Taylor of Park UB in Bluffton reports, "Park UB finished a rewarding summer. Our first VBS in a few years was well attended and we had 30 volunteers to support the week. We just finished with a float in the Bluffton Street Fair. Before a crowd of 23,000, the Park Church Float took fourth place. The people are excited about the future. Plans are being made to hire a part-time youth worker."

Ontario Junior High Camp. Randy Magnus, pastor of Roseville UB (Ayr, Ont.) sent this report about the Ontario Junior High Camp this summer: "God showed up in a powerful way at our Junior High camp this summer in Ontario. God is always with us of course, but as in the dedication of the temple by Solomon, there are times His presence is more intense, when more of His glory or majesty or power is displayed/experienced.

On Thursday night and Friday morning the presence of God was powerful, intense and felt by all. About 7 kids came to Christ. An invitation to be filled with the Holy Spirit yielded an instantaneous, virtually unanimous response. Many responded to a call of God to become a missionary, pastor/teacher or evangelist (3 separate invitations with 10 -15 at each). Many were blown away by God's presence and touch on their lives. Our speaker, Kirk Bartha, was used in a powerful way!

After most of the camp had gone to bed/cabins and while some staff and a few campers were still at the fire praying and ministering to one another, there was a group being too loud in the restroom. I went in to tell them to keep it down and their response was, "We're trying to but we just can't help it. We just can't keep it in. God is so awesome! He is so amazing! We just can't contain it!" That kind of noise I can put up with anytime!

Lake Odessa, Mich. Brian Allbright, pastor of Woodbury UB (Woodbury, Mich.) sent an update on the Lakewood Youth Center, a cooperative youth ministry supported by several UB churched in the area. "Here at the Lakewood Youth Center our director, Jim Holloway, followed God to Coleta, Ill. However since God is omnipresent He has been working here at LYC. The adult coaches are all helping again this year, with three new ones coming on board. God is using this group to get the youth center started this school year. The first meeting with the youth was on September 27. God provided two guys back from a year-long interneship with Teen Mania who are on fire about sharing Jesus with teens. God has provided ministry level teens who are working right alongside of the coaches as well as ministering with their peers at school."

September 4 Update from Paul Coy. It's a bit late, but you may want to catch up on this Labor Day message from Paul.

"In China, Labor Day is celebrated on May 1. One bonus of being a missionary living in another country is that you can celebrate double the holdays.

"Today I had a "picnic" at KFC across the border in Zhuhai, China. Hey, at least I could have fried chicken! I also decided I would enjoy my day by doing a little shopping. I bought four dress shirts and three pairs of pants. The grand total came to $35 US. Not too bad! I should celebrate Labor Day more often!

"I praise God for a superb summer. I previously told about the camps in July. God is providing opportunities to keep in contact and build relationships with these students. Leon, Siguma, and Genki came to Living Water church on August 27. I am thankful they could come. Please pray for the salvation of these three guys.

"Macau is a difficult place for people to believe in Christ. Less than one percent are Christians. Satan is definitely fighting and has a stronghold on the people in Macau.

"One holiday that I do not celebrate is the Hungry Ghost Festival. It is celebrated on the 15th day of the seventh month. This is using the lunar calendar, which made it August 13 this year.

"Buddhists and Taoists, which includes most people in Macau, believe ghosts wander the earth on this day as the gates of hell are opened. The ghosts look for food and take revenge on those who wronged them during their lives. To appease the evil spirits, each family needs to burn special paper, incense, and "hell money." They set food out on the street corner in order to give to the ghosts. It just breaks your heart to see the whole family out on the street corner believing in false gods.

"I am sharing this to help you picture how people are being deceived by Satan. Please continue to fervently pray for the lost souls in Macau. Pray that the light of Jesus Christ will overcome the darkness. Pray that God will use us this fall at Living Water and Living Word churches and at Pui Ching school to reach souls for Christ.