BMH Editor's Blog

Mboi Andre Surgery Set for Wednesday

Posted by Terry White on March 17, 2009  |  No Comments

Mboi Andre (pictured), who is president of the union of Grace Brethren churches (approximately 2,500 churches) in the Central African Republic, is in the US to have reparative surgery on his hand. Here is the latest update from Grace Brethren International Missions–please pray for the surgeons, for Mboi, and for all who are involved.

Thank you for your continued prayers for Mboi Andre as he is in the US for major surgery on his wrist. Here is the latest news:

All pre-op testing went well. The lady who checked him in at the hospital was a converted African Muslim! The technician who drew his blood for testing was a former US soldier who had served in Chad who was amazed to connect with someone here in the US that was actually aware of the country of Chad and knew so much about Chad and the CAR!

After his initial examination of Mboi’s wrist, the doctor is optimistic that he can help Mboi with this surgery. The plan is to fuse his wrist, do a bone graft with some of Mboi’s own bone as well as some artificial bone material and also do a major tendon release. This will be a major surgery and Mboi will have much pain afterward. He will need a minimum of two weeks of intense post-op therapy.

The surgery is scheduled for this Wednesday morning at 7:30 AM. Please uphold Mboi and the doctors who are making this possible in your prayers over the next several days.

Grace College, Seminary Cutting Back

Posted by Terry White on March 16, 2009  |  1 Comment

From today’s Warsaw (IN) Times-Union:

Grace College To Eliminate 17 Jobs

David Slone
Times-Union Staff Writer

WINONA LAKE – Grace College is eliminating 17 positions.

In addition, Grace is transferring three employees to other positions, increasing student employment opportunities and offering 21 members of the physical plant the opportunity to secure on-campus jobs through Aramark, the facilities manager since 1997.

According to a press release from the Winona Lake-based college, “Securing the future for students by refocusing the financial and support services is the central focus of Grace College and Theological Seminary administrators. While enrollment numbers for fall 2009 look promising, even on par with last year’s record enrollment, the institution is intentionally preparing for the stress that may face current and prospective student families and donors during the current destabilized economic climate.”

To continue implementing Grace’s strategic plan and being aware of the economic climate, Grace is making changes to its personnel. The press release states the “net reduction in staff, which takes effect between now and the end of the academic year in May, represents a 2 percent reduction of personnel. Of the eliminated positions, four are faculty members, seven are from physical plant and the remaining are from various offices.”

Grace’s 2006-2010 strategic plan provides for eight objectives. According to the press release, “These include creative leadership and management, graduating a growing number of students, providing a student-oriented college experience, strengthening financial stability to sustain the quality of the educational enterprise, and continual review and adjustment of organizational structures, facilities, funding and operational effectiveness.”

Each person affected by the staff reduction will qualify for a severance financial benefit. In addition, as a result of the recent stimulus package approved by the federal government, 65 percent of any COBRA insurance coverage will be paid by the government for up to nine months. Grace also will provide outplacement and counseling services for the employees and their families and the tuition remission benefit for employees and spouses who are currently in a degree program, as well as dependent children, will continue through the spring 2018 term.

“There is no question that making the decision to terminate positions was very difficult for the administration because we care about each person and how their work impacts our students,” said Dr. Ronald E. Manahan, president. “But in light of the economic climate, I believe these decisions are necessary and they will help position Grace to be an even stronger institution.”

The press release states these decisions were also part of the strategy by Manahan and the administration to increase the number of work study positions available to students, some as early as April 1. Grace annually budgets approximately $500,000 for student wages. That will increase close to $700,000, allowing more opportunities for students to earn money during their education and strengthening their resume.

With the influx of student workers, the net employee reduction will be 4-1/2 positions. In addition to the elimination of the faculty and staff positions, all of the senior administrative team voluntarily took a cut in salary of up to 5 percent.

‘Commitment to Common Mission’ Document Affirmed

Posted by Terry White on March 16, 2009  |  No Comments

Dr. Keith Shearer, who was the USA representative on the international steering committee for the Charis gathering in Bad Homburg, Germany, this past August, continues to encourage US Grace Brethren churches and people to reflect on how their local churches can participate in the worldwide vision expressed in the Commitment to Common Mission document developed by three task forces at the Charis meeting (the integrated ministries task force is pictured). To read a copy of the document, click here. Shearer, who also pastors the New Beginnings Grace Brethren Church in Myerstown, Pennsylvania, sends along the following report from the NAF:

The Northern Atlantic Fellowship affirmed yesterday (3/15/09) at her district conference the “Commitment to Common Mission” that was formulated by the delegates of the 2008 International Conference of Charis. The Northern Atlantic district ministerium affirmed this same commitment at its February 10 meeting.

This commitment has already been affirmed by the leadership of the FGBC fellowship council, CE National, Grace Schools, BMH, GO2 Church Planting, GBIM, GBIF, as well as Grace Brethren fellowships around the world. I was recently informed that it received a standing ovation at the pastor’s conference in Chad. There may also be others who have made the same commitment.

Affirming the “Commitment” is not necessarily a matter of agreeing with the precise wording of the document, but with the intent of working together with Grace Brethren around the globe in the three stated categories of church-planting, leadership training, and integrated ministries over the coming decade.

If you are not familiar with this Charis document, it appears on page 5 of the 2009 FGBC Handbook.

Entrusted by the FGBC fellowship council with the honor of being the North American representative to the international Charis movement, I encourage all North American churches and cooperating ministries to follow the example of these who have entered into this commitment.

Numbers of FGBCers are already doing so much of this so very well – thank you. The “Commitment to Common Mission” has the potential of helping us walk together and work together for the honor of Christ into the next decade, or until Christ comes for us should that be sooner.

Keith Shearer

Lancer NAIA Tournament Run Ends

Posted by Terry White on March 15, 2009  |  No Comments

From Sunday’s Fort Wayne (IN) Journal-Gazette:

Lancers offense sputters

Pat Dailey – Special to The Journal Gazette

POINT LOOKOUT, Mo. – Grace coach Jim Kessler blamed himself for senior center Eric Gaff not being enough a part of the Lancers’ offense in their 77-73 loss to Black Hills State at the NAIA Division II national tournament on Saturday.

The 6-foot-10 Gaff, who leads the nation in double-doubles with 24, had 14 points and seven rebounds. He was only 4 of 7 from the field.

“One of the goals we had was to do the things that got us here,” Kessler said. “But Eric needs to take more than seven shots. We had four people take more shots than him and another shot as much as him. When that happens, that’s an error on our part as coaches. We should have engineered a (game plan) in which he took more shots than that.

“I will always feel like I erred by not putting it in his hands more often.”

Gaff played with four fouls over the final four minutes but logged 31 minutes in his Grace finale.

The Lancers (22-10) trailed 41-25 at halftime as Gaff scored just two points. They were 8 of 31 from the field at intermission while Black Hills State (29-4) was 7 of 15 on three-pointers.

But Grace got hot in the second half, shooting 59 percent from the field (17-of-29). The Lancers used a 37-21 run to knot the score at 62.

In the final three minutes, Black Hills State guard Cain Atkinson broke the tie with a three-pointer, the Yellow Jackets’ Spencer Childress followed with a three-pointer and Atkinson capped a 9-2 run by hitting another trey.

Black Hills State outscored Grace from the three-point line 33-18.

“We dug ourselves too big of a hole in the first half,” Grace forward Michael Wienhorst said. “I give our team credit, though. We gave ourselves a chance to win. We just couldn’t overcome their big shots down the stretch.”

Grace received 29 points from its bench, getting a big lift from backup forward Duke Johnson. The 6-11 freshman had 19 points, six rebounds and a block.

“We may have found an heir apparent,” Kessler said of Johnson while referring to the loss of Gaff.

Up next for Gaff likely is a playing overseas.

“That’s what I’m planning to do,” Gaff said.

Water Well Drilled for New African Seminary

Posted by Terry White on March 15, 2009  |  No Comments

The Grace Brethren seminary (graduate school of theology) in the Central African Republic is in the process of being relocated from Bata to the capital city, Bangui. Land has been secured, and the development has begun.

Jim Hocking, founder and CEO of ICDI, sends along this photo and message to announce that ICDI just finished drilling this well (pictured) and will be installing a Vergnet foot pump on this new well as the construction begins for the new seminary and training center just outside of Bangui. Living Water International helped to fund this well.

An Interview with ‘Worship in Song’ Author

Posted by Terry White on March 14, 2009  |  No Comments

An interview with Scott Aniol, the author of the recently-published BMH book Worship in Song:

If unable to play, try clicking here.

Grace Wins Second Round in Tournament

Posted by Terry White on March 13, 2009  |  No Comments

POINT LOOKOUT, Mo. – Behind a dominant advantage on the boards, Grace College, Winona Lake, Indiana, stays alive for at least one more game in the 2009 NAIA Division II Men’s Basketball National Championship.

The Lancers held a plus-29 edge in total rebounds and held on against Ottawa (Kan.), 75-67, in the second round. The 18th annual event is being held at the Keeter Gymnasium on the campus of the College of the Ozarks (Mo.).

Grace moves into the quarterfinals with a date against No. 5 Black Hills State (S.D.) on Saturday (March 14) at 3 p.m. CST. The contest tomorrow is the Lancers’ second straight trip to the quarterfinal round and third overall – the first year was back in 1992 when they won the national title.

The offense was hard to come by for Ottawa in the early going. Phil McClintock broke a 3:29 scoreless drought with a basket at the 16:30 mark. At that point, Grace led 5-2. Grace extended that margin to 30-17 under four minutes left in the first half on a field goal by Michael Wienhorst. Ottawa rallied behind McClintock’s five points late to trail 30-26 at the half.

Ottawa made a rally in the second half but Grace’s inside presence was too much down the stretch. The Braves of OU stayed close thanks in large part to handling the ball. Ottawa totaled just five turnovers.

For Grace, Eric Gaff notched his NAIA-leading 24th double-double of the year with 15 points and 16 rebounds. He also added four blocks. David Swanson led a group of four players with 18 points and 11 boards. That effort was his 12th double-double this year.

Grace Wins First Round–Now is Underdog

Posted by Terry White on March 13, 2009  |  No Comments

From Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette:

Grace returns to role of underdog
Steve Warden

Call it a second chance; a new start; a reprieve.

Better still, call it a Grace period.

In spite of losing its last regular season game, then following it up with a first-round Mid-Central Conference tournament loss, Grace College finds itself back in the NAIA Division II men’s basketball national championship tournament today in Point Lookout, Mo.

By getting the second-to-last of the 10 at-large berths handed out by the NAIA, the Lancers, with their 20-10 record, will face 13th-seeded and 21-8 Warner Pacific (Ore.) today in a first-round game at 2:45 p.m. Grace was tied for 20th and Warner Pacific was 14th in the latest NAIA Division II poll.

It will be the second consecutive year for Grace in the national tournament. Last season it got an at-large bid and reached the final eight before losing to eventual national champion Oregon Tech.

This season, the Lancers are back as underdogs.

“What a great opportunity for this group of young men,” Grace coach Jim Kessler said in a statement.

“They have fought through so much adversity and truly deserve a chance to play for a national championship.”

Grace is led by 6-foot-10 senior Eric Gaff, who averaged 21 points and 12.2 rebounds this season.

Gaff added 59 blocked shots and made 234 trips to the free throw line, where he made 156 (66.7 percent).

Michael Wienhorst, a 6-3 senior from Warsaw, adds 13.6 points a game and is the team’s leading three-pointer shooter with 52, and David Swanson, a 6-6 junior, averages 13.5.

Dayton Merrell, a 6-4 freshman from Blackhawk Christian, has played in all 30 games and has started eight.

He averages 4.4 points and 1.6 rebounds.

Should Grace win today, it will play either Ottawa (Kan.) (18-13) or fourth-seeded Walsh (Ohio) (27-3) Friday at 2:45 p.m.

Oklahoma Wesleyan (30-2) is the No. 1 seed, and MCC tournament champion Bethel (30-3) is the No. 2 seed.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Grace won its first game yesterday. Men’s Basketball (A)
Grace vs. Warner Pacific.
Won 82-72

BMH Board Gathers for Spring Meeting

Posted by Liz Cutler Gates on March 12, 2009  |  No Comments

The board of directors of the Brethren Missionary Herald Company begins their spring meetings today in Winona Lake, Ind. Pray for them as they evaluate projects, review the budget for next year, and plan for the future. They meet through tomorrow afternoon.

On the board are Todd Scoles, Marysville, Ohio, chairman (head of table); Bruce Barlow, Winona Lake, Ind.; Rick Fairman, Lititz, Pa.; Dan Thornton, Soldotna, Alaska (left to right, front); Nathan Bryant, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada; Nathan Harrison, Gahanna, Ohio; Bob Arenobine, Fort Wayne, Ind.; and Pat Phillips, Bexley, Ohio (left to right, back). Not pictured is Barb Wooler, Winona Lake, Ind.

Grace Lancers in NAIA First Round Today

Posted by Terry White on March 12, 2009  |  No Comments

From the Warsaw (IN) Times-Union:

Lancers To Clash With Knights

Dale Hubler
Times-Union Sports Editor

POINT LOOKOUT, Mo. – Talking about his team’s first-round opponent in the 18th annual NAIA Division II Men’s Basketball National Tournament, Grace College coach Jim Kessler said Warner Pacific is more athletic than his Lancers.

Kessler believes the Lancers, however, are a better basketball team.

“They’re a little quicker and they’re more of an athletic team,” Kessler said of the Knights, who Grace will play Thursday at 1:45 p.m. CST at Keeter Gymnasium on the campus of College of the Ozarks near Branson, Mo. “But I think we’re a better basketball team. I like our chances.”

Warner Pacific, a school in Portland, Oregon, received an at-large bid to the 32-team, single-elimination tournament. The Knights were ranked 15th in the final NAIA poll and sport a 21-8 record.

The Lancers, who advanced to the Elite Eight of the tournament last year, received an at-large bid after being ranked 20th in the final poll and take a record of 20-10 into tournament play.

When the Lancers and Knights square off Thursday afternoon, it will showcase discipline and structured offense against a fast-paced, run-and-gun style of play.

To read the remainder of the story, click here.

Mboi Andre Coming to USA for Surgery

Posted by Terry White on March 12, 2009  |  No Comments

The following message comes from Mike Taylor, who directs operation for Grace Brethren International Missions:

Pastor Mboi Andre (Pastor and President of the Union of Grace Brethren Churches in the Central African Republic) will be leaving the CAR for the USA on Thursday 12 March.

Thanks to the incredible generosity of Drs. Russ Woda, Mitch Kennedy, Bruce Gray (surgical team), Ohio Health, Aiken (SC) Grace Brethren Church, GBIM (and many others behind the scenes), Andre will receive free surgical care for his non-functioning dominant hand. If all goes as planned, his surgery will be next Wednesday 18 March at 7:30 a.m.

Please join us here at GBIM in praying for travel safety and a GREAT surgical outcome. This is his dominant hand and he has been significantly handicapped by this fracture.

The x-ray shows a broken bone that has yet to fuse (after two months) as well as obvious external deformities. Mboi is pictured with Dan Woda (surgical team member) and Mboi’s wife, Marguerite.

As soon as he is out of surgery we will give you an update. If all goes well, he will travel to several churches while in the USA. If you are interested in helping or having Andre visit, please do not hesitate to give me a call at GBIM.

Mike Taylor, Director of Operations, Grace Brethren International Missions

574-268-1888 ext 33 (work)

mtaylor@gbim.org

Ruth C. Snyder Obituary

Posted by Terry White on March 11, 2009  |  No Comments

Ruth C. Snyder, 88, of 337 Grace Village Drive, Winona Lake, Indiana, was “loosed away upward” on Tuesday, March 10, 2009, at 4:50 p.m. in her residence at Grace Village Retirement Community of Winona Lake.

Ruth was born October 20, 1920, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Charles Croker and Marion (Shepherd) Croker. As a young person Ruth felt called of the Lord to serve as a missionary in Africa. She prepared for missionary service by attending Philadelphia School of the Bible, graduating in 1944. Then she entered Grace Theological Seminary, graduating in 1947 with the Christian Education Course.

August 9, 1947, she was married to Reverend Roy B. Snyder in Philadelphia, PA. Then, along with her husband, she went on to complete her studies in theology, with both graduating in 1949.

In the fall of 1949, the Snyders left for Paris, where they had ten months of French language study. In July 1950 they continued on to French Equatorial Africa, in the province of Oubangui Chari. The first term was very difficult as Ruth had to travel 500 miles each way for surgery at the Presbyterian Hospital in Cameroon. Ruth went there twice for surgery, ten weeks each time.

Her ministry in Africa was teaching women and girls at a mission station 185 miles north of the capital city where the Snyders lived for 15 years. The last 20 years were in the capital city of Bangui. There Ruth worked with the leaders in women’s and girl’s work. She also operated the Missionary Guest House for 18 years in Bangui. The Snyders retired from Africa in 1984, after a total of 35 years of missionary service.

During her retirement years, Ruth was active with the women’s missionary organization, Women of Grace. From 1985-1990, she was the National Prayer Chairman. She followed this by staying active with different prayer groups such as the Way Home Prayer Group and the Global Prayer Group at Winona Lake (IN) Grace Brethren Church.

She will be lovingly remembered by her husband of 61 years: Reverend Roy B. Snyder (Winona Lake, Indiana); Brother: Wayne (wife Dorothy) Croker (Big Piney, Wyoming); and two nephews and three nieces: Bob (Custer, Washington); Pat (Cheyenne, Wyoming); Kathy (Big Piney, Wyoming); Coke (Sheridan, Wyoming); Michael (Missoula, Montana). Ruth was preceded in death by her parents.

Visitation will be on Friday, March 13, 2009, from 6-8 p.m. at Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home, Warsaw, Indiana, and on Saturday, from 12-12:30 p.m. prior to the service at the church. Her funeral service will be Saturday, March 14, 2009, at 12:30 p.m. at Winona Lake Grace Brethren Church, 1200 Kings Highway, Winona Lake, Indiana, with Pastor Charles Ashman officiating. Burial will be at Oakwood Cemetery of Warsaw, Indiana.

Memorial contributions may be made to Grace Brethren International Missions, P.O. Box 588, Winona Lake, Indiana 46590 for the construction of the Brethren Biblical Seminary in Bangui.

Ruth Snyder, Missionary to Africa, With the Lord

Posted by Terry White on March 10, 2009  |  No Comments

Veteran Grace Brethren missionary to Africa Ruth Snyder, 88, pictured here with her husband, Roy, late this afternoon went to be with the Lord from her home at Grace Village Retirement Center in Winona Lake, Indiana.

Ruth and Roy have been married 61 years and were faithful members of Winona Lake Grace Brethren Church in retirement. Roy has for many years produced a newsletter for and about retired GBIM missionaries. The Snyders served in the Central African Republic until 1983.

Tentative plans call for visitation Friday evening and a memorial service Saturday afternoon.

Dorothy Goodman Obituary

Posted by Terry White on March 10, 2009  |  3 Comments

Dorothy E. Goodman, 89, of Grace Village Retirement Community Winona Lake, Indiana, passed away Sunday, March 8, 2009, at 4:23 a.m. at Grace Village Health Care of Winona Lake, Indiana.

She was born June 12, 1919, in LaVerne California, to George and Margaret (Ward) Hay. Wanting to serve as a missionary Dorothy completed nurse’s training in Pasadena, California. While attending Grace Seminary and earning a Christian Education diploma, she met her husband, Marvin L. Goodman. On June 16, 1944, in LaVerne, California, she was married to Marvin, who survives.

After a risky Pacific Ocean crossing during WWII, Dorothy and her husband took a river boat up the Congo and Ubangui rivers to the Central African Republic (CAR) where they would serve for 40 years as missionaries. As a nurse, Dorothy dealt with all sorts of tropical diseases, offering blankets to expectant mothers if they would come to the medical center to have their baby, thus preventing complications from unattended births.

In the absence of a doctor she sometimes was obliged to perform surgeries to save the mothers’ lives. She also taught both women and children to read and understand the scriptures. She served the Lord faithfully as a nurse and teacher.

Life was not easy in the CAR. Dorothy cooked on a wood stove, swept a sun-baked clay floor in a mud block house under a grass roof. Yet, she succeeded in making it into a home for her husband and four children.

Upon retirement in 1986, Dorothy and her husband established residence in Winona Lake, Indiana, where she was active in women’s and children’s ministries at the Winona Lake Grace Brethren Church where they were members. She also operated a Good News Club from her home on the hill overlooking Billy Sunday Tabernacle.

In her final years, Dorothy struggled with the debilitating effects of Parkinson’s. While her family misses her greatly, they rest in their faith that she has been ushered into the presence of her Savior.

Dorothy will be lovingly remembered by her husband of 64 years, Marvin L. Goodman (Winona Lake, Indiana); two sons: David G. (wife: Nancy) Goodman (Northbrook, Illinois); Paul M. (wife: Marlene) Goodman (Houston, Texas); daughter: Anne (husband Robert) Hoy (Camp Verde, Arizona); and her son-in-law: John Zielasko (Winona Lake, Indiana).

Also surviving are 11 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, one daughter-Suzan Zielasko, the youngest of the four children, who succumbed to cancer in October 2003 in her hometown of Winona Lake, Indiana. Dorothy was also preceded in death by her brother-Kenneth Hay; and her sister- M. Joyce Smith.

Visitation will be held Friday, March 13, 2009, from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. at Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home, 225 Argonne Road, Warsaw, Indiana. And also an hour prior to the service at the church, on Saturday from 9-10 a.m. The funeral service will be Saturday, March 14, 2009, at 10 a.m. at Winona Lake Grace Brethren Church, 1200 Kings Highway, Winona Lake, Indiana, with Pastor Bruce Barlow officiating. Burial will be at Oakwood Cemetery of Warsaw, Indiana.

Memorial contributions may be made to Grace Brethren International Missions, P.O. Box 588, Winona Lake, Indiana 46590 for the Dorothy Goodman Memorial Fund.

Sheridan Folsom, Yakima, With the Lord

Posted by Terry White on March 9, 2009  |  No Comments

Mr. SHERIDAN COLE FOLSOM, 83, who for many years was a member of the Grace Brethren church in Yakima, Washington, and is the father of Jim Folsom, who directs communications for Grace Brethren International Missions, went home to be with the Lord on Wednesday, March 4, 2009, at 4:15 a.m. in Yakima, Washington.

To read his obituary, click here.

Dorothy Goodman With the Lord

Posted by Terry White on March 9, 2009  |  No Comments

Retired missionary to Africa Dorothy Goodman (pictured with her husband, Marvin)went to be with the Lord at 4:20 Sunday morning at Grace Village Retirement Center, Winona Lake, Indiana.

She and her husband Marvin served with Grace Brethren Missions (later GBIM) in the Central African Republic for 42 years, beginning in 1945. Dorothy, a well-loved leader in the women’s work, also served as guest house hostess in Bangui, CAR, in their final years on the field.

A complete obituary will be posted when available. Calling will be Friday, March 13, from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. at Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home, Argonne Road, Winona Lake, Indiana. Memorial service will be 10 a.m. Saturday, March 14, at the Winona Lake Grace Brethren Church.

FGBC World Reports on Fellowship Council Meeting

Posted by Liz Cutler Gates on March 9, 2009  |  No Comments

The multi-national CHARIS Commitment to Common Mission statement was affirmed by the leaders of the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches during their regular meeting in January. In doing so, they encouraged local Grace Brethren churches to participate in the spirit of the document. Read more in the March-April issue of FGBC World, which is available at no charge at your local Grace Brethren church or online at http://www.fgbcworld.com/.

Tent fire destroys homeless couple’s shelter

Posted by Liz Cutler Gates on March 9, 2009  |  No Comments

Kork Moyer, pastor of Still Waters Church, a Grace Brethren church in Pottstown, Pa., was quoted in an article in the Pottstown Mercury about a recent fire that destroyed the tent belonging to a homeless couple in Pottstown. To read the complete article, click here.

Tent fire destroys homeless couple’s shelter

POTTSTOWN — Officials said two people who were living in a makeshift tent in the woods behind a Verizon building on Robinson Street lost all of their belongings Wednesday in a fire.

Pottstown Fire Chief Richard Lengel said it was “a relatively small fire” that destroyed the tent made of several tarps where Bernard Gill and Rhonda Raffle were living behind the former MCI building. … Pastor Kork Moyer, of Still Waters church and the Ministries at Main Street, the mission of which is to help feed and provide shelter to local homeless individuals, said this recent incident shows there is a need for a homeless shelter in the local community.

Moyer said he knows Gill and Raffle and although he understands that there are a number of reasons why people do not like staying in shelters, choosing to forgo using a shelter and sleep in a makeshift tent is dangerous.

“Knowing the people that were out there, what I truly believe is that I don’t think anybody should be out there,” Moyer said. “I do understand that there are all sorts of reasons why people avoid being out in the cold … but it really becomes important to talk them in.

“I think it’s really important that people realize that they are putting themselves at an unbelievable risk, and the fact that there was a fire just underscores that,” Moyer said.

Moyer said four Pottstown churches — St. Paul’s United Church of Christ on North Franklin; Trinity United Church of Christ, Hanover and King streets; Zion’s United Church of Christ, Hanover and Chestnut streets; and St. John’s United Church of Christ on High Street — have taken turns serving as host locations for a mobile shelter for the homeless. On occasions when there is a Code Blue in effect for the area, which means temperatures are so cold they can be hazardous or deadly to people without shelter, the shelter could literally be life-saving.

Shenkel United Church of Christ, 1580 Shenkel Road in North Coventry, has also made efforts to be a shelter location but has been met with opposition from township officials. Just recently, a meeting scheduled for Feb. 26 to discuss zoning issues on the matter was postponed until April 29 after being postponed two times before.

North Coventry Township has determined that without a residential variance, Shenkel UCC cannot have people sleeping at the facility. The church doesn’t want to be bound by those residential use regulations which would limit to 16 the number of people who could stay overnight — for any reason —without a sprinkler system.

Township officials have insisted that the regulations are in place to ensure safety.

Moyer argued that not giving people who would otherwise sleep in a tent an option to seek shelter from the cold could be dangerous, as would have been the case with the recent fire.

“With regards to North Coventry, the argument there is we’re just trying to do our jobs and keep people safe, but leaving people outside is putting them at more of a risk,” he said.

Moyer noted that there are volunteers who agree to stay awake for safety purposes at the various shelter locations.

“What we’re offering (North Coventry) is a service to take their people in, to make the residents, the township, the people less vulnerable,” Moyer said. “That’s just common sense. There are no amount of codes that can stack up against that kind of common sense.”

Chamberlain Addresses Scholars on Board Governance

Posted by Terry White on March 6, 2009  |  No Comments

Dr. Larry N. Chamberlain (pictured), president and CEO of the Grace Brethren Investment Foundation, was one of a number of featured speakers today at the Midwest Scholars Conference held in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Jointly sponsored by Indiana Wesleyan University, Grace College, and Taylor University, the conference brought together several hundred scholars, educators, and professionals to learn from each other, to present results of research, and to share best practices.

Chamberlain, whose doctorate is in strategic leadership, spoke on “Strategic Leadership Principles for Effective Board Governance” and he focused on the expectations a non-profit board should have on a CEO, the expectations a CEO should have of a non-profit board, and the board and CEO’s expectations of a board chair.

Schumachers, Chamberlains Visit Newest FGBC Chaplains

Posted by Liz Cutler Gates on March 5, 2009  |  No Comments

Chaplain Colonel John Schumacher (Retired) and his wife, Martha, joined Larry and Sherlene Chamberlain of the Eagle Commission, in a recent visit with Chaplain David Mvondo and his wife, Whitney, at Fort Gordon, Ga., home of the Army’s Signal Battalion. They went on to visit Chaplains John Jacobsen and his wife, Marlene, and Pete Stone and his wife, Monica, at Fort Hood, Tex. All three of these chaplains are new to roster of endorsed Fellowship of Grace Brethren chaplains in the U.S. Army, and all three are scheduled to deploy to Iraq.