BMH Editor's Blog

Philadelphia Urban Ministry Celebrates 10th Anniversary

Posted by Terry White on October 31, 2008  |  No Comments

Ten years ago, Ed Lewis, Executive Director of CE National, got a call from Evelyn Tyson. The Third Brethren Church in downtown Philadelphia was closing, and Evelyn asked Ed if CE National could use the buildings.

At the time, CE National was looking at Chicago for an urban ministry training center. But with the offer of the Third Brethren’s buildings in Philadelphia, God was directing CE National to the east and the Urban Hope Training Center was born.

A 10-year anniversary celebration is planned for Saturday, November 8, from 6:30-8:00 pm at the church building, 210 E. Tioga Street. All who have been a part of Urban Hope Training Center are invited to come celebrate what God has done and is going to do in the next 10 years and beyond.

To read more of Urban Hope’s story, click here.

Miller plows his way from farm to pulpit

Posted by Liz Cutler Gates on October 31, 2008  |  No Comments

Today’s edition of the Bowling Green (Ohio) Sentinel-Tribune has a story about Curtis Miller, pastor of the Grace Brethren Church there. To read the entire story, click here.

There are a number of John Deere toy tractors in Pastor Curtis Miller’s office at Bowling Green Grace Brethren Church – and they’re not there just to be played with by children.

Up until 2003, Miller was a successful farmer in Kansas, tilling 6,500 acres (most of them share cropped), raising 500 feed cattle a year and publishing a book on grain marketing and a weekly newsletter with marketing advice. Even his salvation experience took place next to a tractor in 1973.

Though the 56-year-old delights in his second career as a pastor, the tractors on display keep him in touch with his farming roots.Some small farm-related items even provide him with ideas for his children’s story sermon. A small branding iron he used on cattle provided him with the concept of the Holy Spirit sealing Christians. An empty, but sealed, can of corn reminded him of people who say they are Christians but they’re empty. He even applies corn genetics to 2 Peter 1:4 which talks about a Christian’s spiritual genetics and the divine nature of the Holy Spirit living in them.

To read the rest of the story, click here.

Midwest Rake at the World Series

Posted by Terry White on October 30, 2008  |  No Comments

Here’s an interesting little sidelight to the recent World Series.

Figuring prominently in the rain-management and groundskeeping activities for the series were tools manufactured in Warsaw, Indiana, by Midwest Rake Company LLC.

The president of Midwest Rake is Bill Henthorn, a 1976 business administration graduate of Grace College, Winona Lake, Ind., and a former banker with Lake City Bank. Bill and his wife, Bobbi, are members of the Winona Lake (IN) Grace Brethren church, where he is heavily involved with the video and media ministry.

A number of Grace grads are associated with Midwest Rake. In the “about us” section of the company’s website, the following appears: “We try to honor God in all we do. Although it’s often a struggle and we stumble and fall along the way, we thank God for the success of Midwest Rake Company and recognize the Bible as the best road map for living and doing business. No apologies. This does not make us better than anyone else, but it does mean that we try hard to work with others the way we would like them to work with us. We value relationships as well as sales.”

To learn more about Midwest Rake click here.

Grace Students Hold Neighborhood FunFest

Posted by Terry White on October 30, 2008  |  No Comments

From today’s Warsaw (IN) Times-Union:

FunFest Tonight In Winona Lake

Jennifer Peryam
Times-Union Staff Writer

WINONA LAKE – Games and candy will be offered tonight at Grace College’s annual FunFest at the Gordon Recreation Center in Winona Lake.

The annual event will be from 6 to 8 p.m. In addition to games and candy, activities will include pony rides, a puppet show and a bounce house.

Gordon Recreation Center is at 100 Rupe Drive, Winona Lake.

In previous years, the event has been on the Sunday before Halloween. FunFest has been a community event for the past 15 years.

“It is such a symbol of community between Grace and Winona Lake residents and, yet, attendance was starting to tapper off,” said Abby Walter, Grace College junior and student leader.

More than 600 children attended last year.

Entertainment in the past included a dunk tank, petting zoo, carmel apples, a magic show, face painting and other activities.

Sebring Outreach Sees 37 Salvation Decisions

Posted by Terry White on October 29, 2008  |  No Comments

Pastor Randy Smith (pictured) of the Grace Brethren Church in Sebring, Florida, shares his excitement about his church’s outreach during its recent Fall Festival:

I came back from Europe in time for the messages Sunday AM and the Fall Festival in the afternoon. We had 968 people come out and 37 decisions to accept Jesus as Savior.

I am overwhelmed by God’s goodness, and frankly thrilled that the team seemed to pull off the event without me. I was walking around greeting people and every job was covered. We saw a marked increase in the Hispanic population as well, and had people stationed to speak in Spanish to them. It was thrilling to watch.

We had less than one pan of food left and a few cupcakes by the end. Fortunately, the ladies had prepped for a high turnout and Wal-mart is only blocks away (a shuttle kept supplies coming in on time!).

Winona Lake Church Uses ESL as Outreach

Posted by Terry White on October 29, 2008  |  No Comments

Diana (Di) Davis (pictured), who recently returned to the U.S. after 30 years of ministry with Grace Brethren International Missions in central Africa, launched an ESL (English as a Second Language) outreach on October 7 to the mothers of the Hispanic students at the Jefferson Elementary School across the street from the Winona Lake Grace Brethren church building (Bruce Barlow, lead pastor).

Others from the church are being recruited and trained to participate in the program, and after two sessions, the Winona Lake church is touching the lives of 13 Hispanic women and one 16 year-old young man.

Momentum Orphanages Open in Southeast Asia

Posted by Liz Cutler Gates on October 29, 2008  |  No Comments

Dave Atkins, executive director of Asia’s Hope, reports that two Momentum homes have been opened in Southeast Asia. Above are the children of Momentum 1, located in Prek Eng, Cambodia.

These children recently arrived and the owner is expanding the house to accommodate us. That’s why the house looks like it’s under construction…it is! We are using the upstairs now until it’s finished. When it is done, the house will hold 20 children easily. Our director there is Saravi and his wife. They are former Campus Crusade for Christ staff – he showed the “Jesus” film for many years in the jungles of Cambodia to thousands of Cambodians.

To learn more about this home, click here.

The second home that is sponsored by Momentum is located in Battambang, Thailand.

The director, Savi and his wife are also former Jesus Film workers with Campus Crusade for Christ. We have over 20 children in this home.

We are very excited to have these two homes opened and these precious orphans rescued! Thank you so much for your faith and passion for getting the gospel to the least, the last and the lost!

To learn more about this home, click here.

The homes are a result of offerings taken during the annual Grace Brethren youth conference, Momentum, last summer in Cedarville, Ohio.

Dave’s report also highlights homes in Doi Saket 1 Orphanage, Doi Saket 2 Orphanage (sponsored by Grace Community Church, Goshen, Ind.), Doi Saket 3 Orphanage (sponsored by Grace Community Church, Fremont, Ohio), Battambang 1 Orphanage, and Battambang 2 Orphanage (also sponsored by the Goshen church), as well as their Christian School.

Asia’s Hope is a cooperating ministry within the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches.

San Diego Outreach Attracts 350 for Festival

Posted by Terry White on October 28, 2008  |  No Comments

Pastor Glen Sykes of the San Diego (CA) Grace Brethren Church sends along this encouraging report about the San Diego church’s recent Harvest Festival outreach:

San Diego Grace Brethren Church, on Friday evening, October 24, held its Fourth Annual Harvest Festival. Like many other GBC churches, this is a Halloween alternative outreach. More than 350 people crowded the property of SDGBC from 6PM to 9PM for games, gospel presentations, and prizes (donated by Southern California businesses including Disneyland).

A great time was had by all as the children enjoyed the bounce houses, games, candy, and toys. The gospel was presented by Youth In Action. Youth in Action is a National High School and College age Christian mime team with local teams here in San Diego. In addition to the three performances by Action, the attendees were given gospel tracts and other Christian literature.

Almost 50 people representing 14 families have requested further information about the gospel and about SDGBC!

New Wooster Facility Hosts Fall Outreach Event

Posted by Terry White on October 28, 2008  |  No Comments

Pastor Ivanildo C. Trindade, who is Associate Pastor of Outreach Ministries at the Wooster (OH) Grace Brethren Church (Robert Fetterhoff, pastor), sends along this exciting set of photos and reports on a recent event at the Wooster church:

On Saturday, October 25, our church opened its doors to our community for an evening of fun, food and fellowship. We do it every year right around this time as a family-friendly, safe alternative for Halloween. But this year it was extra-special because we were also inviting people to come inside our newly built Student Ministries Center.

We served a free meal in our new café, had many inflatable games inside our gym, as well as other carnival games, which the children and their parents loved so much. In addition to that, we had a world-class Christian juggler, David Cain, who is known as “the juggler for Jesus,” who shared the Gospel through his many tricks and presentations, someone who drew caricatures, face painting, puppets, etc.

A closing program drew a large crowd, partly because of the 10 fabulous prize bags we gave away (all donated by businesses in our community), partly because of the fact that we were featuring a 7 foot center from Sudan, who is playing basketball for the College of Wooster. He shared his story of how God brought him from a war torn and financially devastated country to the College of Wooster and many people were inspired by it.

All told, about 1200 people came through our building that night, many of them first time visitors. A conversation that was overheard in our busy hallways that night perhaps typifies what was going through the minds of our visitors. A father was shepherding a couple of his children from the gym to the arts and crafts area. He asked his boys, “So do you like this church?” In unison, the boys said, “Yes!” “Do you like the way they treat children?” Again the answer was “Yes!” “Would you like to come back?” Another resounding “Yes!!”

I trust that those children and their father will return. In fact, they may already have returned because the very next day, on Sunday morning, our church had a spike in attendance of over 300 people. Obviously the building looked a lot different then and I wouldn’t be surprised if the children kept looking for the games to no avail. But hopefully they found the same kind of love and care that prompted the father to ask them if they wanted to come back.

We believe these types of events help people get inside the building and once they are inside they will be open to coming back. We’ve seen big changes in people’s lives because they took that first step to come to a safe and fun environment with their children. We praise God that we are able to do these things.

Posted by Terry White on October 28, 2008  |  No Comments

Pastor Ivanildo Trindade with Gideon Mabeny, seven-foot center from the College of Wooster.

Posted by Terry White on October 28, 2008  |  No Comments

Children line up to ride the “Iron Man.”

Posted by Terry White on October 28, 2008  |  No Comments

Dave Cane, “juggler for Jesus,” engages the crowd.

Weather Nasty, but Fellowship Warm at Focus Retreat

Posted by Terry White on October 27, 2008  |  No Comments

Though the weather on the Atlantic oceanfront this Monday evening was windy, cold, and nasty, there was warm fellowship inside the Holiday Inn Oceanside as pastors and church leaders gathered for the first session of the East Focus Retreat in Ocean City, Maryland.

The retreat is being led by FGBC moderators John McIntosh and Tom Hocking, focusing primarily on the book of 2 Timothy. The retreat is one of five regional focus retreats held throughout the year. The next one is in southern California in January, followed by Florida in February and northwest in May.

Posted by Terry White on October 27, 2008  |  No Comments

Participants in the East Focus Retreat spend much of the first session in small-group discussion of the first chapter of 2 Timothy, considering the ministry of Paul. In this group members (from left) include George Traub, Paul Mutchler, Dave Kennedy, Steve Howell, and Robert Wagner.

Posted by Terry White on October 27, 2008  |  No Comments

Dave Guiles, executive director of Grace Brethren International Missions (left) and Dr. Francois Ngoumape (right), who directs all the Bible colleges and seminary in the Central African Republic, spent more than an hour sharing with the pastors attending the East Focus Retreat the vision for a doctoral-level program in Bangui, along with expanded plans to train more pastors, evangelists, and youth leaders for African churches.

Currently there are about 2,400 Grace Brethren churches in the C.A.R., but only 900 trained pastors. Several opportunities were presented for American churches to get involved either in sending their pastors to teach short-term courses, or to adopt African pastoral-training candidates and their families through their seminary and Bible school years.

A Wedding as Worship

Posted by Liz Cutler Gates on October 27, 2008  |  No Comments

The Sunday service at the York, Pa., Grace Brethren Church took a little different turn on October 19 as Pastor Dan White suspended part of the regular worship to perform the wedding ceremony of Tracy E. Garrod and David L. Thomas.

With the blessing of the church leadership and regular morning worship attenders, Pastor Dan modified the schedule, including extending the time about 15 minutes.

Read the complete story at fgbcworld.com, the website for FGBC World, the newspaper for the members and attenders of congregations in the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches. Look in the photo feature on the right side of the page.

Waving the Flag!

Posted by Liz Cutler Gates on October 27, 2008  |  No Comments

Mary Leavitt, a member of the Grace Brethren Church of Columbus, Ohio (David Plaster, pastor), who is known throughout Central Ohio as “The Flag Lady,” will be honored tomorrow (Tuesday, October 28) by the Republican National Party. Their tour bus, with a “special guest” aboard, will hold a brief rally at her Clintonville store (Flag Lady’s Flag Store, 4567 N. High Street) at 10:15 a.m., and then take Mary on board for a trip to Cincinnati where she will represent small business owners.

OCC at Grace College Cited for Outstanding Design

Posted by Liz Cutler Gates on October 24, 2008  |  No Comments

The 2008 American School & University Architectural Portfolio jury has awarded Grace College’s Orthopaedic Capital Center its Citation for Outstanding Designs selected for the publication, one of the architectural profession’s showcase publications recognizing educational design.

The OCC is one of 252 designs to be profiled in the 2008 publication. The OCC will be profiled in the November 2008 issue of American School & University. The building also will appear in the “Explore the Gallery” section of http://www.schooldesigns.com/.

The Orthopaedic Capital Center houses the Department of Business and the Athletics Department and offers state-of-the-art classroom and lecture facilities, as well as an arena capable of seating 2,800 people. The OCC, completed in May 2007, is home to the Grace Lancers basketball and volleyball teams.

Loan Approved for Ohio’s Grace Brethren Village

Posted by Liz Cutler Gates on October 22, 2008  |  1 Comment

The Grace Brethren Investment Foundation (GBIF) has recently approved a $1.3 million loan package for the Grace Brethren Village, a retirement home affiliated with the Tri-State Fellowshp of Grace Brethren Churches and the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches. Located at 1010 Taywood Rd., Englewood, Ohio, it is under the direction of Gene Geaslen, administrator.

Proceeds of the loan will be used to refinance an existing small GBIF note with the balance to be used for the construction of a 5,200 sq. ft. addition. The new facility will include a reception area lounge, office space for eight administrative personnel, and a resident family lounge, along with several records and equipment storage areas.

“It has been GBIF’s privilege over the years to have partnered with the Village on expansion projects,” says Ken Seyfert, executive director of operations, “and to have witnessed the development of a premiere retirement facility in the Dayton area. This new project will serve to further enhance their outreach to their community.”

To see a story about the facility’s expansion, from the Dayton Business Journal, click here.

Canadian Church Marks 10th Anniversary

Posted by Liz Cutler Gates on October 22, 2008  |  No Comments

From October 12 to November 2, Grace Community Church, a Grace Brethren church in Mississauga, Ontario, is celebrating its 10th anniversary. In the photo above, from the October 19 service, Elise Adomanis shares memories from the early years of the church. Grace Community Church is the result of the dreams and prayers of many in the U.S. to see a Grace Brethren work in Canada. Sponsored by Grace Brethren Home Missions, Team Canada (comprised of Phil and Beth Bryant, Nathan Bryant, and Bartley and Sarah Sawatsky), moved to the Toronto area in the mid-1990s with the goal of beginning the development of Grace Brethren congregations across the country. They aggressively pursued contacts, using visiting teams from the U.S. to make their presence known in the Meadowvale area of the city.

In the fall of 1998, 13 adult members launched the church at St. Therese of the Child Jesus school. Since that time, the church has moved to West Credit Secondary School and has grown to 300. The church has also launched two other churches over that time, the Village Community Church in Milton and Community of Hope in Surrey, B.C. This fall the church is launching two new international ministries: Manantial, a Hispanic work led by Willy and Mary Sanchez, and Viva Brasil, a Brazilian ministry led by Armando and Odila Padovan.

The church, now numbering about 300, is celebrating God’s blessing over four Sundays. On October 12, the former pastor of the Bryant brothers was the guest speaker. On October 19, seven guests who were involved in the early start of the Canadian adventure were interviewed by Pastor Bartley and Nathan Bryant. Larry and Sherlene Chamberlain, Jesse and Gladys Deloe, Ted and Elise Adomanis, and Pastor Jeff Thornley shared their memories of the launch.

When Larry became executive director of Grace Brethren Home Missions in 1989, it was one of his goals to see the Brethren church move into Canada. Jesse was an administrator at Home Missions at the time and he and Gladys have participated in three summer mission trips, working with the church in its early years. Ted and Elise worked with Grace Community Church from their home in Maryland both in administrative and financial capacities and in onsite visits before moving to the Mississauga area to become a part of the leadership team. Jeff Thornley is the founder and senior pastor of the Waldorf, Md., Grace Brethren Church where both of the Bryant brothers and Bartley interned. They came to Canada directly from their ministries with Pastor Thornley (who also delivered the sermon on October 19).

The 10th anniversary is coincides with the church moving into permanent facilities. They have already taken possession of their new location (6670 Campobello Road) but will not be able to hold services on the premises until construction is finished. Their goal is to be in by late December so they can host their popular Community Christmas Eve service in the new building.

During the month-long celebration, the church is hosting numerous guests from as far away as Nova Scotia, Washington, D.C., and Vancouver. They are being interviewed each week as the church highlights the different stages of its history. Newcomers to the church will have the opportunity to discover in detail how the church has evolved.

Pastor Bartley Sawatsky invites everyone to attend the celebration. Service times are 9:30 and 11:00 a.m. at the West Credit Secondary School, corner of Montevideo and Battleford in the heart of Meadowvale.

On October 19, Larry Chamberlain, president and chief executive officer of the Grace Brethren Investment Foundation and former executive director of Grace Brethren Home Missions, shares a photo he took of Team Canada praying in a park on an early visit to Toronto.

Jeff Thornley, pastor of the Grace Brethren Church in Waldorf, Md., where Philip and Nathan Bryant and Bartley Sawatsky interned prior to moving to Canada, preached during the October 19 service.

Jesse and Gladys Deloe (right) with Willy and Mary Sanchez. Jesse was an administrator with Grace Brethren Home Missions when the Mississauga church was formed and he and Gladys have assisted the ministry over the years. Willy and Mary lead Manantial, a Hispanic work that has been implemented by Grace Community Church.

On Saturday evening, October 18, weekend guests gathered in the new facility to pray. The church hopes occupy the building by late December.