BMH Editor's Blog

No Prayer at Graduation? They Pray Anyway

Posted by Terry White on June 30, 2009  |  1 Comment

This is an excerpt from a letter to the editor about reaction to outlawed prayer at the graduation exercises at Kittanning (PA) high school. To read the entire letter, click here.

After being told that no prayer could be said during the graduation — but that they could have a “moment of silent reflection” — two young ladies from the junior class arranged a prayer meeting before the commencement service in the senior parking lot, situated in the church parking lot adjacent to the school. They asked Pastor Dave Blevins of North Buffalo Grace Brethren Church to join in prayer with those who would come.

Much to everyone’s amazement, this impromptu prayer meeting was a huge success. Although no official head count was made, there were more than 100 in attendance. These people made a circle, held hands and said several prayers. It was a blessing to all who attended.

But it didn’t stop there. During the commencement exercise, the “moment of silent reflection” turned into the class of 2009 reciting “The Lord’s Prayer.” The class was joined by the faculty, band and the audience.

During his speech, the salutatorian sneezed and the class yelled, “God Bless You.” The Class of 2009 kept the Lord in their graduation service and for that, they will be truly blessed.

Grace’s New Master’s Classes Begin Monday

Posted by Terry White on June 30, 2009  |  No Comments

WINONA LAKE, Ind. – Classes begin Monday, July 6, at Grace College for two new master’s degree programs for teachers and business trainers.

The two new degrees, Master of Education and Master of Science in Instructional Leadership, will be offered in a blended on-campus and online format enabling completion of either degrees in two years. The master’s degree students will meet July 6 through July 10 for the on-campus portion of the programs. Most coursework will be completed online.

A third master’s degree program, the Master of Arts in Teaching, recently received approval from the Indiana Department of Education. The Master of Arts in Teaching degree program is for prospective teachers who already have a bachelor’s degree and want to be eligible for an Indiana teaching license.

To read the remainder of the article, click here.

Morgan Burgess, Columbus, Ohio, With the Lord

Posted by Terry White on June 29, 2009  |  No Comments

Morgan Burgess, age 76, of Delaware, OH, died Sunday, June 28, 2009. Preceded in death by parents Charles and Mary Burgess. Survived by wife Judith; children, Geoffrey (Lisa) Burgess, Cynthia (Mark) Bollinger, Gregory (Sandrine) Burgess; grandchildren, Erin (Bruce) Campbell, Jason Burgess, Rachel Buchanan, Rebekah Buchanan, Jaime Bollinger, Emma, Ruby, Addele and Zachary Burgess; sister, Jeanne Canfield; niece, Mary Beth Potter as well as other relatives and friends.

Member of Grace Brethren Church of Columbus. Veteran of the Korean Conflict U.SW. Army, graduate of North High School class of 1951. President of Morgan Burgess Insurance and Investments. Attended Bowling Green and The Ohio State University, member Kappa Sigma Fraternity.

Served on the boards of Grace Brethren Investment Foundation and Grace Brethren Home Missions. Participated in the Man to Man Prison Ministry. Member of the Welsh Society of Central Ohio.

Funeral service to be held at 10 am, Thursday, July 2, 2009 at Grace Brethren Church, 8225 Worthington-Galena Rd., Worthington, Ohio. Friends may call from 2-4 and 6-8 at the RUTHERFORD-CORBIN FUNERAL HOME, 515 High St., Worthington. Burial at Oak Grove Cemetery, Delaware, OH. Condolences may be sent to www.rutherfordfuneralhomes.com

Visitations:
2:00PM to 4:00PM on Wednesday, July 1st, 2009 at Rutherford-Corbin Funeral Home

6:00PM to 8:00PM on Wednesday, July 1st, 2009 at Rutherford-Corbin Funeral Home

Services:
10:00AM at Grace Brethren Church on Thursday, July 2nd, 2009

Burgess’ son, Greg, who serves with Grace Brethren International Missions in France, said, “Let me thank those who have written expressing your love and sympathy to our family. We have been smiling and crying as we read your kind words – and they have done our hearts good.

“We look forward to sharing some tears, laughter and memories with those who can come as we celebrate my Dad’s home going. Our heavenly Father is good. It is good to know that my earthly father is now fully reveling in the worship of our good God.”

Taking a Bird’s Eye View of Vacation Bible School at the Wooster GBC

Posted by Liz Cutler Gates on June 29, 2009  |  No Comments

Galen Moomaw, a long-time member of the Grace Brethren Church of Wooster, Ohio, has combined his long-time hobby of photography with a newer hobby of building and flying radio controlled airplanes. He has mounted an Aiptek Action HD video camera to a radio controlled airplane, which he flies over scenes he wants to photograph.

Recently, he captured this bird’s eye view of vacation Bible school at the north central Ohio church. Children are dropped off at the church’s main entrance. They gather by class, then enter the building together.

“I thought I could land close to the arriving cars… maybe too close,” he admits. “All ended well.”

VBS09 from Galen Moomaw on Vimeo.

“My plane is a design originated by a guy in New Hampshire,” says the retired farmer and former staff member at the church. “I call it my Fishin’ Pole Plane since it is built around a fishing pole. The wing is six-feet wide made by cutting the shape from a block of foam with an electrically heated wire. It is 48-inches long and weighs about five pounds including camera, motor, and battery.” He estimates it flies about 100 to 200 feet in the air.

If you look closely, you catch a glimpse of Galen at the end of the video as the plane “comes to Papa.”

Click here to view more videos shot by Galen.

One of interest, he says, is “Soccer Farm.” It shows the soccer program developed on the family farm by his son Randy, who is associate pastor of worship ministries at the Wooster church.

“He will have up to 50 boys practicing on the three soccer fields he has built,” Galen says, adding that the younger Moomaw is planning a soccer camp this summer with many of the coaches from the Wooster GBC.

Arnold Kriegbaum Obituary

Posted by Terry White on June 29, 2009  |  1 Comment

Rev. Arnold R. Kriegbaum, son of George N. Kriegbaum and Ethel (Shank) Kriegbaum, went to be with his Lord on June 27, 2009 at the age of 95. He was at the home of his daughter and son-in-law, in Fishers, IN.

Academic degrees include a Bachelors from Ashland College and a Masters of Divinity from Grace Theological Seminary, Winona Lake, IN. Rev. Kriegbaum served as minister in Filmore, CA, Waterloo, IA, and minister and charter member of the Grace Brethren Churches of Cedar Rapids, IA and Ocala, FL.

From 1953-1961 he served as the editor of the Brethren Missionary Herald magazine and as Dean of Students at Grace College, Winona Lake, IN from 1962-1979.

He was married for 67 years to Laura E. Miller who preceded him in death in 2007. He is survived by two sons, Dr. Richard A. Kriegbaum and wife Peggi, Fresno, CA; Dr. Ward A. Kriegbaum and wife Kristin, Wheaton, IL and daughter, Karen Bragg, and husband Dr. Charles F. Bragg, Fishers, IN; five grandchildren, 11 great-grand children and one brother.

A private family service will be held. Burial will be in Oaklawn Memorial Gardens in Fishers, IN. Memorials may be made to the Brethren Missionary Herald Company, PO Box 544 Winona Lake, IN 46590 or to Grace College and Seminary, 200 Seminary Dr. Winona Lake, IN 46590.

Arnold Kriegbaum With the Lord

Posted by Terry White on June 27, 2009  |  No Comments

Arnold R. Kriegbaum (center), shown here in a 2005 photo with his sons Richard (left) and Ward (right) went to be with the Lord about 1 p.m. today, Saturday, June 27, 2009. He had been living the last few years with his daughter, Karen Bragg, near Indianapolis. His wife, Laura, passed away in June of 2007 at the age of 89.

Kriegbaum, 95, was well-known throughout the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches as a pastor, church planter, dean of students at Grace College and Seminary, and as editor/general manager of the Brethren Missionary Herald Company in Winona Lake, Indiana.

The Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Grace Brethren Church, which he founded, celebrated its 60th anniversary last year. Kriegbaum headed the Brethren Missionary Herald Company from September, 1953, to August, 1961, and the building which BMH currently occupies was built during his tenure.

A full obituary and further details will be shared as they become available.

Africa Missionary Partner, K.B., Retires

Posted by Terry White on June 26, 2009  |  No Comments

Those who have spent time around the Grace Brethren missionary compound in the capital city of Bangui, Central African Republic, have probably met an Evangelical Covenant Church missionary, Karen Benson (K.B.) who was living on the property. Here is an article about her retirement from missionary service–to read the entire piece, click here.

PORTLAND, OR (June 26, 2009) – Retiring Evangelical Covenant Church missionary Karen Benson, whose service included working in two countries plagued by violence and extreme poverty, received a prolonged standing ovation today from delegates to the 124th Annual Meeting of the Evangelical Covenant Church.

Benson walked to the lectern arm-in-arm with Curt Peterson, executive minister of the Department of World Mission.

Peterson described Benson as, among other things, “an uplifting teacher who sees the potential in others and releases and elevates others, andthen hands over work to them, one who cares deeply about Christ being formed in the lives of others.” . . .

. . . After evacuating from Congo in 1997, Karen moved to the Central African Republic (CAR) to minister to the Fulani, a nomadic tribe that practices Islam. The main inroad for reaching the Fulani has been through a community health and nutrition program.

Due to political instability and an attempt to overthrow the government of CAR, missionaries evacuated the country in 2002, relocating to other parts of Africa. Benson returned to the country’s capital, Bangui, to continue ministry among the Fulani people.

Most recently she has collaborated with the missiology department of the Bangui Theological Seminary and Grace Brethren Church of CAR. She assisted with conference planning with other organizations, focusing on strategies for reaching the Fulani.

Leamersville Youth Raises $$$ for Water Project

Posted by Terry White on June 25, 2009  |  No Comments

This posting about a young man from the Leamersville (PA) Grace Brethren Church (Mark Lingenfelter, pastor) is currently on the Water Project blog. To see the original posting, click here.

On March 1st of this year, Michael C. challenged his church, Leamersville Grace Brethren Church in Leamerville, PA, to raise $3,500 to build a well in Kenya. We got this great update just a couple days ago,

“Good news as of 6/10/09 he has raised $3,800! We plan to keep it going to see how much we can raise. Other good news our vacation bible school for their mission project decided to give the money to Michael’s water project. The boys and girls at Bible school raised $613.52 in one week. So far he has raised a total of $4,400. Isn’t it amazing what God can do! I’m sending along pictures of Michael, his display and of Bible school.”

That is simply incredible. It is amazing what God will do with one person’s passion to “give a cup of cold water in my name.” We know this hard work will do a great good. Way to go Michael!!

Hope Community Church Part of Feature About Megachurches

Posted by Liz Cutler Gates on June 24, 2009  |  No Comments

Hope Community Church, a Grace Brethren church in Cary, N.C., was among those mentioned in a June 18 story in the News-Observer (Raleigh-Durham-Cary-Chapel Hill). To read the complete story, click here.

The story cites a study that say many attenders of megachurches tend to be younger, unmarried, and college graduates. The study, by the Hartford Institute for Religion Research and the Leadership Network of Dallas, also noted that 45 percent of megachurch-goers don’t volunteer and 32 percent don’t give money, though the longer they stay in a church, the more they give.

The News-Observer interviewed people from several of the “dozen” megachurches — defined as having an attendance of 2,000 or more — in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill Triangle.

Hope Community Church Pastor Mike Lee was quoted in the story.

Pastors of megachurches say they weren’t surprised by the findings about volunteering or giving.

“A lot of the people we reach are coming back to church,” said Mike Lee, senior pastor at Hope Community Church. “We know it’s a process of giving people time before they can trust God. We would rather have them here and address their needs.”

To read the rest of the story, click here.

Aiken, S.C., Team Leaves for C.A.R.

Posted by Liz Cutler Gates on June 24, 2009  |  No Comments

A group from the Grace Brethren Church, Aiken, S.C. left on Tuesday, June 23 for ministry in the Central African Republic. Pictured left to right are Paul Batton, Jim Batton, Pastor Steve Taylor, and Timothy Olson. Along with passing encouragements to the brethren, they will be assisting in pastoral training and attending the Mbaiki Bible Institute graduation.

Lutz Lodge Dedicated at Camp Conquest

Posted by Liz Cutler Gates on June 23, 2009  |  No Comments

Officials at Camp Conquest, a Denver, Pa., camp that is sponsored by the Northern Atlantic District of Grace Brethren Churches, dedicated Lutz Lodge on Sunday, June 14, 2009. This building expansion adds bathrooms, a meeting room and a small kitchen to the girls cabins. Lutz Lodge is being used now for summer camp programs and will be available in September for small groups to rent for retreats. The building is dedicated in memory of Rev. Robert Lutz, who served the camp faithfully for 18 years as the executive director.

Ribbon cutting ceremony: Rev. Bob Kern (long time camp supporter, and Bob Lutz’s pastor and mentor) and Ruby Lutz (Bob’s widow) at center surrounded by the Board of Directors.

More than 150 people gathered to honor Bob Lutz and dedicate this new building to the Lord’s service at Camp Conquest.

Pastor Bob Kern offers the dedication challenge and prayer.

Thanks to Camp Conquest’s current director, Mike Gelhert, who sent us these photos. He reports that this year’s camp is going well. “We have already exceeding last years numbers and we are only in week one,” he says.

Oberbrunner Seminar Promoted for Equip09

Posted by Terry White on June 22, 2009  |  No Comments

Kary Oberbrunner (right), who is on the staff of the Powell, Ohio, Grace Brethren Church, will be one of the course instructors for Equip09 this July in Columbus, Ohio. He is promoted here on a Zondervan blog, and he is also the author of the BMH book Called. To read the original entry, click here.

Zondervan author Kary Oberbrunner (The Fine Line) will be teaming up with bestselling author Gabe Lyons (UnChristian) this July in order to teach a three day seminar called The Changing Face of the Church.

The seminar will be part of the Equip 09 conference in Columbus, Ohio. Other Zondervan authors speaking at Equip 09 includes Gary McIntosh (Evaluating the Church Growth Movement) and Neil Anderson (Christ-Centered Therapy).

Aiken Staffer Quoted in Story about Church Bulletins

Posted by Liz Cutler Gates on June 22, 2009  |  No Comments

Cindy Spear, ministry assistant at the Grace Brethren Church in Aiken, S.C. (Steve Taylor, pastor), is quoted in this story from the Aiken, S.C., Standard, which details the role of the bulletin in local church services. To read the complete story, click here.

Bulletins are helpful to churchgoers
Scripture, missionary information, upcoming events, hymns and more go into the thousands of church bulletins placed in the hands of Aiken churchgoers every Sunday.

…Most church administrators said all information must be gathered by Wednesday. A rough draft of the bulletin is compiled then edited by several sets of eyes.

Cindy Spear, ministry assistant with Grace Brethren Church, said bulletins are edited by two people other than herself before they are printed. Printing happens in-house at many churches around Aiken….

To read the rest of the story, click here.

Terry Hofecker on Archaeology Project in Israel

Posted by Terry White on June 20, 2009  |  No Comments

Dr. Terry Hofecker (left), pastor of Northwest Chapel Grace Brethren Church in Dublin, Ohio, is currently in Israel, participating in an archaeology project at Tel Gezer. Here he relaxes with his good friend and fellow archaeologist, Dr. Gary Arbino, who teaches at Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary in California.

This Saturday morning Terry reports, “Just returned from East Jerusalem (the Arab part). I was making a Joshua Cloth. This is a large cloth to block out the sun for taking photos in the bright sunlight. Stop at the tailor and he could not sew the heavy canvas together. Then the shoemaker–he couldn’t either. Finally went to my friend Shabaan–’Ah, you need the bagmaker!’ He had to sew almost 30 feet of heavy cloth–quite expensive–60 shekels-$15US”

Robin Penfold Raising Money for Cancer Cure

Posted by Terry White on June 20, 2009  |  No Comments

Many have been praying for Robin Penfold, wife of Grace Brethren Military Chaplain Mark Penfold, in her courageous battle with cancer.

Last month, Robin and Mark participated in a Susan G. Komen Relay for Life in Williamsburg, VA, sponsored by the American Cancer Society (see picture). The Eagle Commission raised some money in Robin’s name at the Grace Brethren Investment Foundation office in Winona Lake, IN, and people were also encouraged to contribute via a spot on the BMH blog and the FGBC website. $1,100 was contributed in response to this effort, and a “luminaria” was lit on the high school track in honor of our participation (see picture).

Robin writes, “As you know, these past twelve months have been challenging for me and Mark as we’ve had to rapidly come to grips with my cancer diagnosis and aggressively pursue surgeries, chemo, and radiation. God’s grace has been more than adequate to carry us to this point. As I’ve said many times before, I couldn’t have made it this far without God’s strength and the support of my family and friends all over the world. Priceless! -With a grateful heart, Robin.”

If you would like to make a contribution in Robin’s name, please make a check payable to American Cancer Society and mail it directly to Robin Penfold, 2800 Mockingbird Drive, Williamsburg, VA 23185. Be sure to include a reminder of your love and prayers.

Robin reports that the sock monkey, named Hope, “was given to me by Judy Galle [wife of Chaplain Jack Galle] after my surgery last May and has provided a good deal of humorous moments along the way. She participated in the Race for the Cure last fall with my sister and niece (her photo even appeared on the Susan G. Komen official website!) and has been to Germany for a visit with my younger sister. She perked up the clinic when I took her along for a chemo treatment.”(photo and article courtesy Dr. Larry Chamberlain)

Craigens Contribute to Chicago House Church Feature

Posted by Terry White on June 20, 2009  |  No Comments

Grace Brethren church planter Clive Craigen, who also teaches at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, was part of a recent newspaper feature on house churches in the Chicago area. Martha and Abraham Padilla (left) are joined in prayer by Clive Craigen (right, brown shirt) and other members of their Humboldt Park house church before the Padillas leave to find a church closer to their Bolingbrook home. (Tribune photo by Nuccio DiNuzzo / June 14, 2009) To read the entire article, click here.

MasterWorks Festival Featured in Fort Wayne Paper

Posted by Terry White on June 19, 2009  |  No Comments

This morning’s Fort Wayne (IN) Journal-Gazette has a front-page feature in the Weekender section on the MasterWorks Festival that opens this evening in Winona Lake, IN. Here is an excerpt–to read the entire article click here.

Faithful following
Grace College student concerts popular

Steve Penhollow

If you go

What: MasterWorks Festival

When: Today through July 18

Where: Rodeheaver Auditorium and McClain Hall, Grace College at Winona Lake

This weekend’s performances: Faculty recitals at 7:30 p.m. today and Saturday at Rodeheaver Auditorium

Admission: Free; for full schedule of performances, go to www.masterworksfestival.org

If it weren’t for agriculture, northeast Indiana would not have the MasterWorks Festival.

Dr. Patrick Kavanaugh established the festival in 1997 at Houghton College, a picturesque, private Christian college in Houghton, N.Y.

Even though Houghton is only about 70 miles from Buffalo, it is in the midst of some of the richest and least populated farmland in Allegheny County.

In other words, there weren’t a lot of people around in the summer to attend the MasterWorks Festival’s concerts.

“We loved it there,” Kavanaugh says, “but we weren’t getting large enough audiences in the middle of nowhere. I mean, how many farmers were going to come out and see a show? There were more people onstage than out in the seats,” he says. “And that was disheartening.”

So Kavanaugh moved the festival lock, stock, hymns and carols to Grace College at Winona Lake in 2002.

And the concerts have been sold out ever since.

Or they would have been sold out if they weren’t free.

Nathan Meyer Materials Online

Posted by Terry White on June 18, 2009  |  2 Comments

From Nancy Stone in Columbus:

Dr. Nathan Meyer

Former faculty of Grace Theological Seminary, 1955-59.

Took many Grace Brethren people to Europe and over 100 tours to the Bible lands of Israel and Arab countries. Apart from Dr. James Custer, Dr. Meyer has been the next best expository teacher on prophecies.

Nathan Meyer wrote the following books:

The Patmos Prediction – About the Book of Revelation
Former title: “From Now to Eternity”.

No Guillotine For The Bride – About the church will
not go through the 7-year tribulation period.

The Land of Miracles – about his interview with the prime minister of Israel, Ben Gurion.

He also has written many outstanding transcripts that are being made into a booklet format.

Grace Brethren pastors and teachers have an opportunity to obtain various topics of Dr. Meyer’s sermons that have been made into transcripts, tapes, and booklets.

Dr. Meyer’s expository teaching is very exciting as he teaches the passages line on line. You can obtain his transcripts and tapes, and booklets online:

http://www.nathanmeyerbibleprophecyassociation.com/

MasterWorks Festival Begins Friday

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

The annual MasterWorks Festival, held each summer in Winona Lake, Indiana, begins Friday, June 19 and continues through July 18.

The festival, now in its eighth year in Winona Lake, is a classical performing
arts training program that offers gifted students the opportunity to learn from professional Christian performing artists. Hosted by Grace College and sponsored by the Village at Winona, the festival presents outstanding free concerts and recitals for the public. MasterWorks is led by Dr. Patrick Kavanaugh.

This year’s opening event is a faculty chamber recital, to be held in the Rodeheaver Auditorium on Friday, June 19 at 7:30 p.m. On the repertoire will be Mendelssohn-Bartholdy’s Variations in B-flat Major, Opus 83a for piano four hands, Mozart’s String Quintet in g minor, K.516, and Schumann’s Quartet in Eb Major, Op.47.

To read more about MasterWorks and to see the summer’s schedule, click on www.
masterworksfestival.org/.

Family VBS at Winona Lake Off to Good Start

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

Vacation Bible School at Winona Lake (IN) Grace Brethren Church (Bruce Barlow, lead pastor) kicked off last night with an energetic music, puppet, drama, video, and assembly time in the church’s worship center.

VBS this year is an intergenerational family affair–it begins each evening with a meal served to all in the church fellowship hall. Families are given packets of materials to take home which include readings, games, gospel stories, and more.

For this first evening, there were 66 teachers and helpers involved, with a total attendance of 364. A significant number (several dozen, by one count) of families were from the neighborhood, not affiliated with WLGBC or with any church.(Amanda Swain photos)