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March News Archive

March 31, 2005

Macau. Jana Hoobler reported on March 23:

  • "At our Macau Association Annual Meeting last weekend, we voted to move ahead with planting a church on Taipa by naming the center "Living Stone Church." Our target date for the first worship service is February 26, 2006. It's so exciting to get to this point in the process! I've been blessed by seeing God bring all the pieces together bit by bit.
  • "Three of the women who study in the English Language Program (Cheong, Joanne, and Ah Sihn) have invited me to join them on a trip to England. I'll be going from April 2-12. Many of you have prayed for these women over the past few years as they've attended Bible studies and become close friends. None of them have made decisions to accept Christ yet. Pray that I'll have a strong life testimony to them as we travel together, and that God will guide our conversations. (We tend to talk non-stop when we're together.) Also thank God for blessing me with this opportunity. I think I'm spoiled rotten!
  • "Michael Chan is starting on submitting paperwork for registering the church on Taipa. Pray that this process will go smoothly, providing a good administrative base for the future church. Pray for wisdom for Michael in the decisions that come up along the way."

Guatemala. This summer Randy Fennig will lead a short-term mission trip to Guatemala where the United Brethren Church has a small presence of about seven churches. This will be an opportunity to assist them and help connect them to the global UB church. There are two church building projects that a team may be involved in. Construction skills are helpful but not required. There is a need for 5-8 more people. The trip will take place sometime from mid-July through mid-August for ten days to two weeks. The cost is as yet undetermined but should be between $1000 and $1400. Please contact Randy Fennig at rfennig@woh.rr.com or 937-631-1063 for more information.

Findlay, Ohio. Over the Christmas season, First UB of Findlay made 100 Christmas packages for the local inmates at the county jail. Packages containing socks, candy, Bibles, Christmas cards with a stamped envelope (so the prisoners could write their families) were placed in clear Ziploc bags and given to the jail warden to be passed out on Christmas morning.

On February ;13, a prisoner from the county jail showed up in the church's worship service, wearing his prisoner's uniform, to personally thank the church for their kindness and thoughtfulness. He was released for a short period of time and placed under the direct supervision of a First United Brethren's church member who is a barber in the jail. He stated, "During a time of the year when we tend to be forgotten, it was nice to know that you thought of us."

Bridgeport, W. Va. Pastor Chris Mullett reports that on January 29, Living Water Church closed on its first piece of property, which consists of two-and-a-half acres with a small metal building on it in Bridgeport. "We are in the process of remodeling the building in the hope of worshipping there Easter Sunday. We are a church of but 50 people, but the Lord is doing wonderful things here. In 2004 we implemented Evangelism Explosion and saw the Lord draw 52 people to saving faith in Jesus Christ. Many were transients, some were inmates, and some were relatives of church members who live in other cities. A few have been able to be assimilated into our church. We are working to strengthen our discipleship ministries.

Central Conference. A number of significant changes in the denominational structure will be voted on at this summer's US National Conference. These include proposals to dissolve the current annual conferences so that the whole US is part of one conference, and the move to make the denomination a membership organization in which local churches would sign a covenant to continue participating in the denomination. The details of these proposals are still being worked out by two committees.

Central Conference is planning two regional meetings to inform members of the churches and give them opportunity for input. The locations haven't been determined yet, but the dates are:

  • Columbus area: Sunday afternoon, May 15, 3:00 pm
  • Huntington area: Sunday afternoon, June 5, 3:00 pm.

Lancaster, Ohio. Bill Pitts, pastor of the Lancaster UB church, has resigned, surrendered his ministerial credentials, and re-connected with his former denomination to start another congregation in Lancaster. A large number of people who were a part of the Lancaster UB church have left and gone with him. The conference is working to provide an interim pastor for the Lancaster Church.

Bellefontaine, Ohio. Camp Cotubic has invited all pastors in Central Conference to a Pastor's Spring Break day at the camp on Tuesday, May 10.

Spain. Endorsed missionary Ron Anderson sent this report on March 28:

"This year we went to Huesca to a youth event called 'Mision Posible.' The organization of the event was tops, as was the preaching and the music program. They had a full team working on the lights, others on the video, and still others on the sound. So when the 750 youth arrived, they were all ready for them. The place rocked with life, love, and a desire to know God.

"Brenda was put in charge of the counseling room, making sure that the designated pastor or Christian leader was there at the appointed time. Many of us were asked to be available one hour a day, so they had 12 hours of continuous counselors available each day.

"At the very end of the weekend Brenda was cleaning up the room and a young lady poked her head in the door. Brenda asked her if she was looking for someone in particular. She said she just needed to talk. So Brenda sat down with her. She then poured her heart out and said that she had for years been putting off a call to serve the Lord, but that now she was no longer afraid to let go and let God take control. 'I think the Lord is calling me to serve him in the Muslim world,' she said.

"After many tears and prayer, she left like many of the others with a new zeal to serve the Lord and make their lives count for Christ. Brenda was touched by this because she had prayed all week that the Lord would send her someone just like that. The whole weekend was full of opportunities to bring encouragement and direction to those who were needing it. What a joy it was for us to see this number of young Spaniards together when we remember the early days of the groups of 50s."

Jamaica. Everett Bleakney was part of a work crew that went to Jamaica in the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan. They worked on private homes damaged in the hurricane. They constructed a kitchen for one family, repaired and replaced roofing on another home, prepared and poured a foundation on the church extension, and did some interior work on another home. The work crew consisted of Brian Bleakney, James Bleakney, Marrianne Bleakney and Everett Bleakney. Everett is from Ellport chapel UB in Ellwood City, Pa.

March 20, 2005

Holly Hill, Fla. The reroofing project at the Daytona Church in Florida is now complete. A total of 30,000 square feet of roofing was replaced on the church buildings. The reroofing project was the result of the damage done by last year's three hurricanes that impacted the Daytona Beach area. The people of Daytona UB are grateful for everyone who helped on the project.

Manlius, Ill. The Grace UB church in Manlius, Ill., has closed.

Auburn, Ala.Marwin T. Simon, 89, a former United Brethren minister, passed away March 13 in Auburn, Ala., where he had retired. Rev. Simon attended Huntington College in the 1940s to prepare for the ministry. He served the Otterbein and Garnett UB churches in Kansas, and Fairview UB church near Hartford, City, Ind., and another UB church near Decatur, Ind.

March 11, 2005

Sunfield, Mich. Pastor Mark Ralph of Sunfield UB reports, "Two years, ago, Sunfield built a beautiful $500,000 fellowship area. This week we payed off our debt and our completely debt-free. We praise God for his provision and for giving the people a desire to give. We are now in the process of establishing an Upwards basketball ministry in our school district. This is a Christ-centered sports ministry."

March 10, 2005

La Ceiba, Honduras. Archie Cameron, 87, was hospitalized for nearly two weeks in La Ceiba, Honduras, where he lives. He was suffering from congestive heart failure and kidney failure. His diabetes adds another complication. Over the last two years he has been hospitalized several times with the same problems.

Archie is now back at his home, but, according to daughter Marilyn Reeck, is not doing well. "His kidneys continue to fail, and he is really miserable." Marilyn is the primary care-giver. At the moment her husband, Roger, is in the United States speaking at several UB churches. The two sons ,Arturo and Bobby, and families have also been a great support. Archie's other two daughters are in the US--Heather and husband in Idaho, and Sharon in Texas. Marilyn's oldest daughter, Christy, is a missionary nurse in Honduras but lives one hour away.

Many UB church members have been to see him and they have been a great encouragement to him and to the family.

Archie still runs his music school, and had recently been practicing his choir for an Easter cantata presentation.

Macau. Jana Hoobler sent the following notes from Macau.

  • Attendance has increased at Kids' Klub this month. Several new children have come. Praise the Lord for this continued opportunity to share the gospel with children on Taipa!
  • I was encouraged to meet with Regina, one of the church members at Living Water Church. She was one of my ELP students back in 1993. She eventually accepted Christ and was baptized, but her husband was never interested in church. Last year they immigrated to California. Regina was back to Macau for a visit and told me that her husband has started attending church with her in the States. It was an encouragement to me to see how God is still "working the seed" our team planted over 10 years ago. He is faithful.
  • Continue to pray for planning toward starting worship services on Taipa. Pray for Director Gary Dilley, Reverend Wu (newly elected superintendent of Hong Kong Conference), and the Taipa Long-Range Planning Committee as they work on the plans.
  • Over our Chinese New Year holiday I was able to meet with Money, a student of mine from China from 10 years ago or so. She is now a graduate student in the U.K. She is no longer walking with the Lord. Pray that she'll recommit her life to Him.

India. Our missionaries in India sent this prayer request regarding the Mission English Medium School (MEMS): "Could you please be praying for the 10th grade students as they start their exams on the 16th of this month. These are the government exams. Next month the 7th grade will have their exams."

Hillsdale, Mich. Hillsdale UB completed its Centennial Year on January 25. As the congregation celebrated their first 100 years of ministry, the Lord blessed the church with over 100 conversions in 2004. There were also a record 71 new church members added during the year and the 32 baptisms were twice the number of the year before. In his annual State-of-the-Church address on January 30, Pastor Les Smith announced plans to break ground this summer on a building addition if funding was secured. The congregation responded with one of the largest offerings in their history.