November 2000 News Archive

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.

Bluffton, Ind. Pastor Larry Taylor 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 also entered a float in the Bluffton Street Fair. Before a crowd of 23,000, the Park Church float took fourth place. Plans are being made to hire a part-time youth worker."

Flint, Mich. On September 17, Richfield Road UB broke ground for a $490,000 addition which will contain classrooms and a gymnasium. The addition will enable the church to place greater emphasis on Christian education and youth activities.

Lake Odessa, Mich. Jim Holloway, the founding director of the Lakewood Youth Center in Lake Odessa, Mich., has moved on, and now pastors the Coleta UB church in Illinois. However, a strong group of volunteers are filling the void. Brian Allbright, pastor of Woodbury UB (one of three UB churches cooperating in the youth center) reports, "The first meeting with the youth was on September 27. God provided two guys back from a year-long internship with Teen Mania who are on fire about sharing Jesus with teens. God has provided ministry level teens who are working right alongside the coaches as well as ministering to their peers at school."

Mason, Mich. Eden UB 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.

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 appreciate their pastor, Paul Rowe. 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.

Grand Rapids, Mich. In July, Banner of Christ sent 20 students and six adults to Daytona UB in Florida for a week of Intentional Acts of Kindness. Pastor Mike Caley says, "We helped with homeless projects and got a powerful lesson on giving away the love of Christ in practical ways. Our group had a wonderful experience under Pastors Chuck and Matt McKeown. We have already gotten involved in some volunteer ministry projects back home at Mel Trotter Ministries in Grand Rapids."

Hillsdale, Mich. Les Smith, pastor of Hillsdale UB, writes, "We light candles the first Sunday of every month according to the number of conversions we had for the previous month. On September 3, we had to use four different kinds of candlebrum for the first time, since we had 20 conversions in August. Every six months or so, we have a month where no candles are lit, but we use it to serve as a visual reminder of our true mission as a church."

Burbank, Calif. Paul and Mikaela Baird are the parents of a baby girl. Brenna Laelle arrived on September 6. Paul Baird is pastor of Victory Celebration Center in Burbank, Calif.

Ubrandale, Iowa. Patricia Park UB in Urbandale, Iowa, disbanded on October 31….Immanuel UB in Carlisle, Pa., will hold its final service on November 26.

State Line, Pa. On October 7, Living Hope held a video scavenger hunt for their junior and senior high youth. Armed with video cameras and paperwork, they set out in teams to videotape everything from scarecrows and pumpkins to singing cowboys. Upon returning to the church to view their videos, one team surprised everyone with a bonus score earned for their up-close live video of Vice President Al Gore! They had traveled to nearby Mercersburg Academy to record one of their fellow youth group members playing football, and Al Gore was at the game to see his own son, who was playing on the opposing team.

Franklin, Pa. The prayer team of Atlantic Avenue UB made about 140 muffins and muffined the courthouse, handing them out free to workers there (with small tags saying "Enjoy" or "Have a Nice Day"). The workers in the courthouse were surprised that these muffins were free. Pastor Gary Small says they plan to do the same thing with the police, firemen, schoolteachers, and other groups.

Reynoldsburg, Ohio. First Love UB held a "Flintstone 500" on October 1 after the morning service. It consisted of four events which ran simultaneously on four tracks at the church: battery-operated ride-in vehicles (for preschoolers), remote control cars, bicycles, and go-carts.

New Albany, Ohio. From July 31 to August 10, Pastor Mike Brown of Franklin UB ran clear across Ohio. He started in Richmond, Ind., and traveled along US 40 all the way to Wheeling, W. Va. The 216-mile run was an effort to raise money for the church building fund. The church hopes to raise $500,000 to renovate and expand their facility.

On the last Sunday of June, Mike challenged his congregation to raise $1000 in pledges.

"Make it more," said one of the members.

"Okay," Mike said, "let’s make it $2000."

Mike says, "I actually used nine days to run from border to border. I took Sunday off and on two different days I ran only a half day. It was an interesting and enjoyable run, with lots of opportunities to witness for Christ. Along the way I really saw God’s protection. I got only two blisters. I encountered dog attacks twice. One was more serious--he actually tried to rip at my knee with his teeth, but something prevented him from breaking my flesh."

Mike says he had a transportation team of 14 people and a prayer team of over 30 people. And the church came through, raising over $2700.

Mike had made two previous long-distance runs, both coming after the church met attendance goals. In 1991, he ran from the church (located in New Albany, on the east side of Columbus, Ohio) to Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati. And in 1993, he ran from Cleveland to New Albany.

Of his passion for running, Mike says, "It’s just my way of getting some quiet time with God. It’s my way of praying and relaxing."