December 2002 News Archive
December 30, 2002
Among Ministers
- Hubert Schmucker is the new senior pastor of Clearview UB (Goshen,
Ind.), effective January 1. He was previously pastor of Lake View
UB in Camden, Mich.
- Stephen Smith is the new senior pastor of Lake View UB (Camden,
Mich.), effective January 1. He was previously pastor of South
Scipio UB in Harlan, Ind.
- Wayne Goldsmith has been named interim pastor of South Scipio
UB (Harlan, Ind.) effective January 1. For several months, going
through the end of November, he was interim pastor of Fountain
Hills UB in Fountain Hills, Ariz.
- Chris VanderVeen is part-time youth pastor of Sunfield UB (Sunfield,
Mich.) effective October 14.
- Cindi Keely is part-time youth pastor of Blue Rock UB (Waynesboro,
Pa.).
- Jim Carey is part-time youth pastor of Banner of Christ UB (Byron
Center, Mich.).
Grandville, Mich. HomeFront is the new name of the church
in Grandville, Mich., formerly known as Maple Hill UB. Howard Matthews
is the senior pastor.
Manlius, Ill. Grace UB in Manlius held a pastor appreciation
day on October 13. The current pastor, Ralph Faber, previously served
the church 1970-1974. He was surprised when, as he got up to lead
the service, lay leader Homer Kepner told him to sit down. Then
Steven Barber, a former nine-year pastor of Grace, was introduced
as directing the service as a pastor appreciation.
December 27, 2002
La Ceiba, Honduras. Gary and Diane Brooks, along with their
daughter Annette Miller and son Mark Brooks, traveled to Honduras
in December to join in celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Spanish
UB work in Honduras. Gary spoke three times in La Ceiba at the Bethel
Church, the first Spanish UB church in Honduras, founded in 1952
by Archie Cameron.
On December 2, Gary was surprised with a 60th birthday party, which
included many Honduran brethren and lots food. Gary and Diane enjoyed
embracing many friends they hadn't seen in ten years. Mark hadn't
been back to Honduras in 15 years, and it was 20 years for Annette.
New Albany, Ohio. Franklin UB completed a 3500-foot building
expansion, which includes an entryway, offices, restrooms, and classrooms.
The highlight is the new multi-use high school youth room, which
includes a game room area. It will be especially appreciated for
the "Fifth Quarters" they hold regularly, with over 100 middle and
high schoolers attending.
Pastor Mike Brown says, "Our church vision phrase is 'Christ Centered,
Youth Focused, Family Oriented.' We do major on youth. Until recent
parks were built, our property hosted the city's soccer league with
over 600 youth, and three baseball teams. A recent donation of $27,000
from a local developer will enable us to complete 'Memorial Park,'
which will include a half-mile walking path and an $11,000 playground
set. A Boy Scout troop has already installed park benches, a sand
volleyball court, and horseshoe pits, with more work coming in the
spring. We will link the path to the neighborhood and have a gorgeous
five-acre park for our neighbors to enjoy with their kids."
December 22 featured two performances of the Christmas play "Twinkle,"
with nearly 400 people attending. It was performed jointly by Franklin
UB and Living Water Community Church, a Baptist church plant that
meets in their building on Sunday nights. Twinkle is an original
play/musical written by John Williams of Northpointe UB in Lewis
Center, Ohio.
Finally, plans are moving rapidly for an evangelistic campaign
trip to the Philippines next spring. Associate Pastor George McCombs
will lead a team of hopefully several people to preach and minister
in two different Philippine cities, probably in March. Anyone interested
in going please should contact Franklin Church. Many opportunities
for service are available on an evangelistic team. The hosts will
be the Looking Unto Jesus Churches of the Phillipines.
Franklin, Pa. Atlantic Avenue UB held its fourth annual
dinner theater December 6-8. The drama, "What Would You Choose?",
was written by a member of the church and featured over 30 cast
and crew members. The church's Hospitality Team provided a ham dinner
each of the three nights. During the course of three evenings, they
presented the Gospel to nearly 500 people.
Hillsdale, Mich. Under the leadership of Carolyn Lundy,
"A Mouse Christmas" was presented by the children of Hillsdale UB
on December 8. The day featured a record attendance of 593.
Among Ministers
- Jim Preece concluded his ministry as pastor of Salem Chapel
UB (Junction City, Ohio) on December 22. He had a pacemaker installed
on November 12. On the recommendation of the medical personnel,
Jim has been placed on permanent disability.
- Bob Carpenter resigned as pastor of Freeport UB (Freeport, Mich.)
because of poor health. He and his wife, Mary, are relocating
to Georgia because of the warmer weather and to be near their
son. The Freeport church and the neighboring Pleasant Valley UB
church have become a two-church circuit pastored by Rev. Gary
Taylor, who has been serving Pleasant Valley.
- Rev. Herb Cook passed away Monday, December 16. He is a former
pastor of College Park UB (Huntington, Ind.), and has been living
in California for many years. He is the father-in-law of Lee Cook,
pastor of the Olive Chapel UB church in Wren, Ohio. Services were
held Sunday, December 22, in Desert Hot Springs, Calif.
- Robert Lust is now the senior pastor at First UB Church, Columbus,
OH. He had previously been serving on an interim basis.
- Jeremy Brown is youth pastor of New Hope Community Church (Bryan,
Ohio), effective December 8.
- Cal Hodgson is the planter for a new church in Dansville, Mich.,
which will launch sometime in 2003.
- As of January 5, Mike Burtnett will be employed as the Student
Ministries Director at Hillsdale UB (Hillsdale, Mich.).
December 17, 2002
Stan and Sherry McCammon
Chambersburg, Pa. Gene Reineman, youth pastor of Mount Olivet
UB, sent this report on the departure of Senior Pastor Stan McCammon,
who has moved to Huntington, Ind., to pastor Good Shepherd UB.
"Over the past seven years, the people of Mount Olivet Church
have come to love and respect Pastor Stan. Under his care our church
has seen growth not only in numbers but also spiritual maturity.
His loving personality, willingness to serve, and love for central
Pennsylvania's cuisine (we kid because we care) endeared him to
us all and  made
it especially hard to see him go.
"We knew that we needed to do something special for him as a going
away gift, and to show him that we had no hard feelings. The congregation
collected donations to allow Pastor Stan to do something that he
has wanted to do for quite some time, and what many of us have wanted
to see him do for even longer. We paid for Pastor Stan to jump out
of an airplane!
"On Sunday afternoon, October 13, a large crowd of people (mostly
well wishers) came to see Pastor Stan leap out of an airplane from
13,000 feet. The operators of the parachuting club were amazed at
the contingency of people who showed up to see the show. They referred
to Pastor Stan as a celebrity, and the video cameras rolling and
shutters clicking only added to the excitement.
"The jump went with out a hitch and Pastor Stan and his tandem
partner landed safely to thunderous applause. He said that it took
his breath away, but that he would do it again in a heartbeat.
"We know God has great things in store for Pastor McCammon and
the Good Shepherd church. We are sad to see him go, but are encouraged
by his desire to follow God's will. We only hope that he will "drop"
in on us again in the future."
Jackson, Mich. Gethsemane UB hosted its second annual Christmas
outreach with a dinner theater featuring the dramatic musical "A
Time for Christmas." Over 500 people from the community attended
one of the four performances. Forty-nine of those families had no
church affiliation.
Sunfield, Mich. Sunfield UB's sanctuary was packed for
the music "Once Upon a Child," present by the adult choir and the
youth group….Sunfield plans to be in their new addition on
March 1. It will provide much-needed space for the expanding youth
ministry.
Among Ministers
- Dana Gretzinger is the new Director of Discipling Ministries
at Lighthouse Community UB in Williamston, Mich.
- Ernie Hammond resigned as pastor of West Pleasant Hill UB (Rockbridge,
Ohio) effective December 31. He has been the pastor for about
seven years. Recent tests indicate that Ernie is in the early
stages of Alzheimer's; that diagnosis prompted this resignation.
- Tom Blaylock is no longer pastor of Lighthouse Community UB
in Williamston, Mich. (a church he founded). He is planting a
new church for Michigan Conference in Lansing, Mich. It is called
JourneyChurch.
- Marion Berg, an ordained pastor in Sandusky Conference who was
residing in Dalton, Ohio, passed away.
- Connie Rohne is the part-time youth pastor of Park UB (Bluffton,
Ind.).
- Dave Stephens, director of Camp Cotubic (Bellefontaine, Ohio),
had surgery December 16 to remove a thumb-sized tumor attached
to the chest wall. It came out easily, and no incision was needed.
This is all a great relief, because it wasn't clear whether the
growth was inside or outside of the right lung. If it had been
inside, doctors would have needed to remove part of the lung,
resulting in a long hospitalization and recovery, including a
week in intensive care. But it turned out to be fairly minor.
On the Internet
Fountain Hills, Ariz. Endorsed missionary Gordon Rohn traveled
to Kazakhstan in October. He writes, "Noteworthy was the report
that there are now over 10,000 active Kazakh believers. The down
side is that persecution is increasing, especially in the rural
areas." In November he traveled to Singapore. In between, Gordon
endured round 2 of chemotherapy, a four-day experience. He reports,
"No noticeable side effects thus far. The results of a scan showed
tremendous decrease in the size of the enlarged lymph nodes. The
doctor said that most of them are nearly at normal size."
Standing behind some of the shoe boxes from left
to right are Pastor Ernie Hammond,
Linda and Bud Goss and Central Conference Superintendent Tom Brodbeck.
Rockbridge, Ohio. West
Pleasant Hill UB has participated in Operation Christmas Child
for several years, and they did so again this year, packing packed
39 shoeboxes which will brighten a child's life. Central Conference
Superintendent Tom Brodbeck helped dedicate the shoeboxes on Sunday,
November 24, during the morning service. The shoeboxes need to be
taken to collection points by Thanksgiving each year.
Operation Christmas Child is an annual ministry of Samaritan's
Purse, a relief agency headed by Franklin Graham. In 2001, Samaritan's
Purse collected over 5 million shoeboxes and delivered them to children
in about 95 countries.
The members enjoy shopping for small gifts and filling a shoebox.
Some people make it a year-long project, keeping a lookout for items
during their routine shopping trips. Each box is filled with several
items and marked for a boy or a girl of one of three different age
groups. Bud and Linda Goss, the local coordinators at West Pleasant
Hill, comment, "It really touches our hearts when we take the shoeboxes
to the regional drop-off point. It is a great sight to see the many
volunteers working with the thousands of shoeboxes that will be
packed into the trucks."
Fulks Run, Va. Mt. Carmel UB packed 26 shoeboxes and sent
them to Operation Christmas Child. Pastor Richard Reed writes, "We're
hoping to hear from some of the recipients and continue corresponding
with them. We viewed the video that explained how Operation Christmas
Child works and found it very moving. We feel very blessed to be
able to take part."
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