BMH Editor's Blog

More News from the Philippines

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

Dan and Tori Beaver, Grace Brethren missionary associates in the Philippines, have sent this report about the widespread flooding in the Manila area in the wake of Typhoon Ketsana, known in Asia as Typhoon Ondoy.

As many of you have heard Manila has been devastated by the worst flooding in over forty years. Some of the hardest hit areas are right where we live when in Manila. The water in the rivers that wind through and among our communities rose 8-20 feet. At the time it just seemed like a heavy rain that would not stop, but as the hours passed, the realization of the devastation taking place began to hit home. We were spared and without water damage, because our apartment building is on higher ground; but Tori and I watched a whole hill landslide down, covering our road and cutting off power for three days. The squatter communities near us had their homes swept away by the raging, rising waters of the river near by. In neighboring communities people were trapped on roof tops. There are some hard-to-get places where people are still waiting on roofs for someone to rescue them. We saw one lady, sobbing because she could not find her mother after her house was washed away.

The damage is so wide spread, so extensive, that we wish we could report on all the things we are doing to help, but yesterday it took us hours to weave through thick muddy streets trying to find the highest ground to get to Tori’s mom who was on the other side of the city in the hospital. For three days she was there without us, as we were separated by the flood.

Eighty percent of Manila was under water!

Nearly two million homes have been effected and 400,000 people are homeless. They’ve crowded into schools, churches and gyms. Even President Gloria Arroyo has given parts of the Malacanan palace for extra space. News agencies have said in just 12 hours more rain fell on Manila than Hurricane Katrina which hit New Orleans in 2005.

Thousands have been rescued, but many more are still stranded. There is the fear of widespread disease and illness due to exposure already hitting children and the elderly, aid agencies are scrambling to get food, clean drinking water and medicine to the desperate city.

On some personal notes… many of our Filipinos friends have had all of their belongings destroyed. Fellow missionaries suffered losses as well. Our friend, Jeff Long, walked (swam) five miles in water chest deep. A dead pig floated by. The same walk was done by Benji, our handyman, eight hours later. He passed three bodies.

We thank you for your prayers, encouragement and support. In less than 45 hours we will greet 18 volunteers coming from Hawaii to help with the physical and spiritual needs of the Filipino people. We are praising God for their willingness to leave the comforts of their homes to serve others.

Grace Brethren Impacted by Philippine Flooding

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

News reports from the Philippines detail the lives lost and the property damaged as a result of the recent tropical storm that dumped as much as a month’s worth of rain in 12 hours on Manila and the surrounding area. On a personal level, Grace Brethren missionaries and church members are dealing with the aftermath of the storm. Below is a report from the Grace Brethren International Missions web site. To read the complete report, click here.

Also, word comes that a portion of purchases made at Woven Joy, the micro-enterprise project that supplements the income of Filipinos with handwoven bracelets and other products, will be used for flood relief. Learn more here.

Ted and Viv Ruiz, GBIM staff Philippines (presently on home ministry in the States), send word that prayer and relief is needed for Metro Manila, which is experiencing severe flooding from a tropical storm that was upgraded to a typhoon before it subsided this last weekend. News coming out of the Philippines presents a harsh picture of this national disaster, which has caused the worst flooding seen in Manila in over 40 years, with a month’s worth of rain falling in one day.

Currently the Ruizes and Christian Beuggert, GBIM’s Philippines Team Leader, are trying to get in touch with national friends and church members, but communication is especially difficult given the state of emergency. Christian is in the Philippines and hopes to visit the affected areas by the end of the week, which should allow him to personally contact our affected brothers and sisters. Ted and Viv report that they were able to receive text messages from their house helper on Sunday, but that they continue to be greatly concerned for others whom they have not been able to contact. As with any serious flooding, there are serious concerns about power outages, drinkable water, impassable roads, lingering flood waters, damage from mud, and the ability of people to acquire basic needs.

To read the complete posting, click here.

New Book Helps Guide Volunteers

Posted by Liz Cutler Gates on September 28, 2009  |  No Comments

The latest release by BMH Books, The Volunteer by Doug Fagerstrom, is one that will help guide volunteers — whether you are the individual who is in a non-paid position in an organization or the person who coordinates volunteers.

Every believer has at least one God-given gift, and has the responsibility before God and the community of believers to use that gift. The author believes that volunteering in ministry can be one of the most fulfilling, rewarding, and significant experiences in your life. This guide will energize, encourage, and equip volunteers.

ISBN 978-0-88469-070-4
Retail $15.99

Click here to order The Volunteer.

Pastors Tour Leaves for Africa September 29

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

Engage with Africa Pastors’ Tour

Please be in prayer for a group of pastors and GBIM leaders who will be traveling to Bangui, Central African Republic, Sept 29 to Oct 9. The goals of the trip are:

1. To develop a foundation of dialogue and mutual understanding between leaders in the CAR and USA

2. To orient influential USA leaders concerning the history, challenges and opportunities facing the FGBC (UEEF) in the CAR

3. To explore appropriate ways for USA and CAR churches to partner for the development of a new generation of effective leadership training institutions and methods for Central Africa.

Participants include:

Dan Allan, Senior Pastor, Grace Brethren Church, Ashland, OH

Clancy Cruise, Senior Pastor, Grace Brethren Church, Marysville, OH

R. Greene, Senior Pastor, Grace Community Church, Frederick, MD

Dave Guiles, Executive Director, Grace Brethren Int’l Missions

Sherwood Lingenfelter, Provost, Fuller Seminary

Dave Lawson, Administrative Pastor, Grace Brethren Church, Wooster, OH

Kevin Pinkerton, Senior Pastor, Grace Community Church, Freemont, OH

Dave Plaster, Senior Pastor, Grace Brethren Church, Worthington, OH

Frank Puhl, Africa Regional Director, Grace Brethren Int’l Missions

Gary Underwood, Senior Pastor, Grace Brethren Church, Delaware, OH

Mike Yoder, Coordinator of Leadership Training Initiatives, Grace Brethren Int’l Missions

Crosses Represent Lives Lost to Abortion

Posted by Liz Cutler Gates on September 25, 2009  |  1 Comment

Bill Landrigan sees the white crosses on the hill near Grace College’s Morgan Library in Winona Lake, Ind., as facilitating one-way conversation.

“Both men and women have stopped and cried,” he says. “It hits a lot of people deep in their soul.”

Each one of the 504 crosses represents four abortions from 1982 to 2008 – each by a resident of Kosciusko County, Ind., where the college is located – for a total of 2,106 abortions. The figures are based on Indiana Department of Health statistics, according to Landrigan, who serves on the board of the Kosciusko County Right to Life. He estimates there have been many more since abortion was legalized in 1973. He is quick to note that there are no abortion facilities in the county, so residents need to travel elsewhere in the state to have the procedure.

For Landrigan, a 73-year-old former school principal, the hillside of crosses is also a hillside of prayers.

“When making these, I touched the boards at least five times,” he recalls. “I asked the Lord to make every time I touch a board a prayer – for the abortions, for the children in the wombs, for the mothers and fathers. Now I’ve touched them many times and, of course, others have, too.”

He looks around the grassy slope where Larry Long, 69, and Warren Zellner, 75, are helping him place the crosses in a pattern reminiscent of the military cemeteries at Arlington, Va., or Normandy, France.

Long, a former vice president for sales at a local orthopaedic company who now serves on the board of the Heartline Pregnancy Center, thinks about the more than 2,000 people it represents. “Some of them would be young adults attending college now,” he says, his eyes sweeping across the campus. “Each time I put one in (the ground), I think of the little babies it represents.”

Landrigan was moved to create the memorial after he saw a similar permanent installation outside a country church. He constructed each cross from 1×3-inch furring strips at a cost of less than a dollar a piece – all paid from his own pocket. They are set eight feet apart. When placed on a flat field, as they were last summer on the playground at Sacred Heart School in nearby Warsaw, they cover an area that is 240 feet by 160 feet.

This is the third site for the crosses since last summer’s display in Warsaw. It has also been installed at a business north of Warsaw, and at First Christian Church on Fox Farm Road. The installation at the college coincides with the annual Right to Life banquet, which will be held at the school’s Orthopaedic Capital Center on September 28.

“We need to make people aware of the abortion situation,” says Zellner, a retired contractor whose wife, Nancy, also serves on the local Right to Life board. “When you consider the number of babies that have been lost, I wish all our churches would stand up and make a fuss,” he adds.

Top photo: Crosses on the lawn surrounding Grace College’s Morgan Library represent more than 2,000 abortions from Kosciusko County, Ind., over a 26-year period.

Center photo: Bill Landrigan and Larry Long pound another cross in the ground.

Bottom photo: Warren Zellner prepares to begin another row of crosses.

Five Churches Gather for Picnic

Posted by Liz Cutler Gates on September 25, 2009  |  No Comments

Bob Smoker, pastor of the Susquehanna Grace Brethren Church in Wrightsville, Pa., has sent photos of the first-ever Route 30 Corrider GBC Picnic, which was held last Sunday at the Wrightsville church. Five Grace Brethren congregations within a 25-mile stretch of the coast-to-coast highway in east-central Pennsylvania gathered for an old-fashioned church picnic. (See Five Pa. Churches Join for Route 30 Picnic.)

Leadership Summits Offer Time To Recharge

Posted by Liz Cutler Gates on September 24, 2009  |  1 Comment

Something interesting happens when leaders share joys and struggles with others who are in a similar situation. It triggers a contagious flow of creativity and resolve. The Women’s Leadership Summits, sponsored by Women of Grace USA, offer such an interactive gathering. The goal is to provide a supportive relational environment to process leadership development and to inspire personal spiritual growth.

“It offered me encouragement to keep going,” said one participant at the Summit held in January in Seal Beach, Calif. Another commented, “I feel like I took a big step into getting more involved in leadership.”

While many Summit participants are leaders in women’s ministries, others carry responsibility as a worship team leader, children’s director, or other area of church ministry. Everyone is encouraged to ask questions and share what she has learned through her own ministry experiences.

“The discussion groups helped me a great deal,” said one participant. “We were so inspired that new discussion groups would happen even during breakfast or lunch breaks!”

Women’s Leadership Summits have been held in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and California. The next Summit will be October 30 to November 1 in Columbus, Ohio, coordinated by Chery Boehm. Teressa Pierce, who spoke at the Summit in California, returns to share on “Paths to Plentiful Grace.” For more information, check Events on the Women of Grace site at wgusa.org or call Janet Minnix at (540) 774-4078.

Lilly Announces $7 Million Grant

Posted by Terry White on September 23, 2009  |  No Comments

Dr. Ron Manahan (center, at podium), president of Grace College and Grace Theological Seminary in Winona Lake, Indiana, was one of about a dozen participants in a 10 a.m. press conference held this morning, Wednesday, September 23, in the Orthopaedic Capital Center on the Grace College campus.

At the press conference, which was attended by more than 100 representatives of business and the working press, the president of Lilly Endowment announced the awarding of a $7 million grant to establish an organization entitled OrthoWorx, a Warsaw (IN) based industry, community and education initiative to advance and support growth and innovation in the orthopaedics sector.

This was the single largest private foundation grant ever awarded in the region. N. Clay Robbins, president of Lilly Endowment, said, “Indiana is indeed fortunate to be home to this extraordinary cluster of orthopaedic companies in the Warsaw community.” He said, “while many have contributed to the development of this plan, we are especially impressed by the leadership and dedication of the president of Grace College, Ron Manahan, the executive director of the Kosciusko County Community Foundation, Suzie Light; and the leaders of the orthopaedic industry.”

The OrthoWorx initiative was created out of a comprehensive Endowment-funded study conducted by BioCrossroads, Indiana’s public-private collaboration for investment, development, and advancement of the state’s signature life sciences strengths.

The six initial efforts on which OrthoWorx will focus include (1) branding and awareness, (2) community enhancement, (3) education, (4) talent and workforce development, (5) transportation and logistics, and (6) technical support services.

Initial board members include representatives from the Kosciusko Community Foundation, Zimmer, DePuy, Biomet, Grace College & Seminary, Paragon, and Lake City Bank. Included in the three-year grant is funding for the hiring of professional management for the effort.

Further information is available by clicking here.

Powell, Ohio, Congregation to Host Community Picnic

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

Grace Church, a Grace Brethren church in Powell, Ohio (Rick Nuzum, pastor), is again hosting a free community picnic. Scheduled for Sunday, September 27 at Olentangy Indian Caverns, the event received some press in the local Suburban News publications. Below is a portion of the story.

Powell church serves community through free food, fun
By GARTH BISHOP

Grace Church’s annual community picnic has received a significant upgrade in size — but everything is just as free as it was before.

The picnic will run from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 27, at Olentangy Indian Caverns, 1779 Home Road.

“Our whole goal is to kind of roll out the red carpet for the community and let them know that we think about them and want to serve them,” said Kary Oberbrunner, one of the church’s pastors.

Offering everything for free is one of the ways the church tries to make the community feel welcome, said Oberbrunner, and with the economy in an uncertain state, that’s especially important this year.

“We really believe that the tough economic times are forcing everyone to really evaluate what matters most in life and (emphasize) that they have hope beyond the stock market,” he said. “Our hope is built on Jesus Christ, (and) we want to share that hope with the community in a very nonthreatening way.”

Click here to read the complete story.

Women of Grace Begins to Blog

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

Women of Grace, the ministry for Grace Brethren women, has a new blog, authored primarily by Janet Minnix, the president of the group.

Released will not only focus on equipping and releasing women for ministry, but will help every women be released to run the race in the way He intends. The blog will also be used by Women of Grace to announce special events, share ideas and resources, spark discussion, and be an encouragement.

Report Showcases Momentum Youth Conference

Posted by Liz Cutler Gates on September 21, 2009  |  No Comments

Life-changing decisions were made by many teens at Momentum, the annual Grace Brethren youth conference. Learn more about this event, which was held near Pittsburgh, Pa., in the September-October issue of FGBC World. The publication is available at no charge at your local Grace Brethren church or online at www.fgbcworld.com.

FGBC World is an all-fellowship, all-Grace Brethren newspaper that is published six times a year. In its pages you will find stories about the Grace Brethren family around the world – from individuals who are on the front line of ministry to organizations that help impact lives for Jesus. Pick up your free copy of the September-October issue at your local Grace Brethren church, see fgbcworld.com or subscribe online to have your free copy delivered directly to your mailbox.

John Smith Reports on CAR ‘By the Numbers’

Posted by Terry White on September 18, 2009  |  No Comments

John F. Smith (blue shirt, teaching), senior pastor of Grace Church at Willow Valley, a Grace Brethren church in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, recently returned from a teaching trip in the Central African Republic. He and Ryan Aument, the elected Clerk of Courts of Lancaster County who also serves in leadership of Willow Valley’s young adult ministry, gave the following “by the numbers” report on their trip.

90 – the approximate number of pastors, government workers, professionals, chaplains trained
90 – the number of those trained who showed appreciation for our ministry
17 – the total number of days of our trip
9.5 – the number of hours we were late getting into Bangui due to being diverted due to fog
6.5 – the number of hours we were on the ground in Brazzaville, Congo, while waiting to fly to Bangui (the first time I have ever been south of the equator!)
12 – the number of consecutive days of teaching/training
8 – the number of V.I.P. visits we made (including the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance)
10,000 – the number of potholes we had to maneuver around while driving
1 – the number of times I drove while in Africa
100 – the number of meters I drove
3 – the number of shirts we each (Ryan and me) received as gifts from CIDEL
1 – the number of times either one of us got sick (it was Ryan)
100 – the number of kilometers that we traveled to visit the Mbaiki Bible Institute
0 – the number of giraffes sighted
40 – the approximate number of orphan children that we met at the Hand-in-Hand school
2 – the number of times Ryan and I went swimming at the U.S. Ambassador’s home

As you can see, some significant numbers! But the most significant numbers are 127:1. That’s Psalm 127:1 which reads, “Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain.” Please pray with Ryan and me that the LORD will indeed bless our efforts with the result of fruit that will last for eternity!

Kittanning Community Spirit Day Saturday

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

The West Kittanning (PA) Grace Brethren Church, Mark Cornwell, pastor, holds its third annual Community Spirit Day 5K Run/2.5 Mile Walk in West Kittanning on Saturday, September 19.

The race/walk begins at 9 a.m. with registration starting at 7:30 a.m. A one-half mile children’s race will be held after the adult race. The kids’ race is for children 11 and younder. Awards will be given for the 5K run and the children’s race.

All participants in both races will receive ice cream sundaes after the race courtesy of Jordan’s Soft Serve. Questions may be directed to Leigh at 724-548-7836.

Women’s Spiritual Direction Classic Released by BMH Books

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

BMH Books of Winona Lake, Indiana, is pleased to announce the publication of Sacred Friendships: Celebrating the Legacy of Women Heroes of the Faith by Dr. Robert W. Kellemen and Susan M. Ellis.

The book celebrates the stories of more than 50 Christian women throughout history who provided soul care and spiritual direction over a period of more than 2,000 years. As the authors tell the stories of these great female forbears of the faith, they empower and equip both male and female Christian believers to practice soul care and spiritual direction in today’s environment.

Robert Kellemen, Ph.D., for more than a decade was chair of the Master of Arts in Christian Counseling and Discipleship program at Capital Bible Seminary in Lanham, Maryland. He is the founder of RPM ministries (www.rpmministries.org), and also serves as the director of the Biblical Counseling and Spiritual Formation Network. He has authored several other works, including Soul Physicians and Spiritual Friends, both published by BMH Books.

Susan M. Ellis, M.A., is an adjunct professor and women’s mentor for the M.A. in Christian counseling program at Capital Bible Seminary and is also active as a mentor, researcher, and developer of women’s soul care and spiritual direction.

Christy Hill, associate professor of spiritual formation and women’s ministry at Grace Theological Seminary said “Sacred Friendships is not just an anthology of these women’s voices, but a thoughtful reflection on what they uniquely add to the stream of Christian counsel flowing through the waves of human history.”

Eric Johnson, professor of Christian psychology at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and founder and director of the Society of Christian Psychologists said, “Sacred Friendships must be counted a special treasure . . . this book does more than fill a void. It allows the lives of these women to educate us today and, by their example, to draw us into the holy love of God.”

Sacred Friendships is formatted in 15 chronologically arranged chapters. The 308 page paperback retails for $19.99 and is available wherever Christian books are sold, online at www.bmhbooks.com, or by calling BMH Books at 1-800-348-2756. The ISBN number is 9780884692645.

BMH Releases Book on Demon Possession

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

BMH Books of Winona Lake, Indiana, is pleased to announce the release of It’s Only a Demon by Dr. David Appleby of the Liberty University counseling and psychology staff.

The book, subtitled “A Model of Christian Deliverance,” is based on more than 25 years of experience by the author in dealing with a ministry of helping people get released from control of dark spiritual forces.

The author says, “Counseling and deliverance can be two sides of the same coin.” Reflecting on his years as a counselor and pastor, he says, “I am convinced that deliverance has a valuable role to play in the world of counseling and that counseling has a valuable role to play in the world of deliverance. Neither . . . is a cure-all for the individual . . . the two practices can work together hand in hand so that people can truly be set free.”

Appleby received his B.A. from the University of Delaware, his M. Div. from Denver Seminary, and his M.A. and first Ph.D. from the University of Northern Colorado, and his second Ph.D. from the University of Delaware. In addition to his teaching and counseling practice, he was in the pastoral ministry for 16 years. He is currently professor in the Center for Counseling and Family Studies at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia.

The book has 17 chapters and each scripturally-based chapter is followed by the gripping true personal story of someone who has been set free from bondage. Chapter topics include “Can a Christian Be Demonized?,” “Doorways: Points of Entry,” “What Actually Happens in Deliverance?” “Deliverance in Children and Adolescents” and more.

Dr. Tim Clinton, president of the American Association of Christian Counselors, says, “David Appleby walks where angels fear to tread. And he does it well. He takes a hard look at spiritual warfare and engaging the enemy. Offering a fresh look at a practice that we otherwise tend to deny altogether or obsess about far too much, this book is a balanced, excellent resource I highly recommend.”

The 331-page paperback retails for $19.99 and is available through bookstores everywhere or from www.bmhbooks.com or by calling 1-800-348-2756. The ISBN number is 9780884690948. Further information on Dr. Appleby’s ministry is available at www.spiritualinterventions.org.

Flora Celebrates 70th Anniversary October 18

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

Pastor Jim Franklin (pictured) of the Flora, Indiana, Grace Brethren Church announces the Flora church’s 70th Anniversary Homecoming Celebration. This special event is scheduled for Sunday, October 18, 2009, in conjunction with the morning worship service.

Pastor Mike Ostrander of the Niles, Michigan, Grace Brethren Church is scheduled to speak. Pastor Ostrander served the Flora church in the late 1970s.

The Grace Brethren Church of Flora, Indiana, was founded in October, 1939, by several local families. Over the years several well-known Grace Brethren pastors such as Henry Rempel, Charlie Turner, Lee Dice, Dick Sellers, and Mick Rockafellow served this historic church.

Flora GBC is perhaps best known as the home base for Brethren evangelist R.I. Humberd (1893-1965). Humberd was the author of numerous books and Bible charts. The church is also a charter member of Grace Brethren Boys. Harold “Pappy” Stayer and several other men founded this ministry in 1974.

All current and former members are invited to participate in this special service. Worship begins at 10:30 a.m. and will be followed by a dinner.

Five Pa. Churches Join for Route 30 Picnic

Posted by Liz Cutler Gates on September 15, 2009  |  No Comments

U.S. 30 is the first paved transcontinental highway. It largely follows a route known as the Lincoln Highway, beginning on the Atlantic coast in Atlantic City, N.J. and ending on the Pacific coast in Astoria, Oregon. Follow the highway through Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana, and you’ll likely encounter a number of Grace Brethren churches within a few miles of the road.

In Pennsylvania, one church is using its U.S. 30 location to connect with other GBCs along the road. On Sunday, September 20, the Susquehanna Grace Brethren Church in Wrightsville is hosting the first Route 30 Corridor GBC Picnic. They’ve invited four other Grace Brethren congregations within a 25-mile stretch of the highway and are anticipating an good, old-fashioned church picnic, according to Bob Smoker, pastor at the Wrightsville church.

“We have had an annual church picnic for as long as I can remember,” says Pastor Bob. “The meal always included BBQ chicken on our home made barbeque pit and corn on the cob.” Last year, they had a pig roast. “It was a big hit and we decided to do it again this year.”

The folks at the Susquehanna GBC realized they were central to four other churches within 25 miles along the famed highway. So they issued an invitation to churches in York, Columbia, and Lancaster, Pa., to join them for the picnic, now dubbed Pignic by Pastor Bob. “It was a short notice invitation but the response has been good with folks coming from all five,” says Bob.

The festivities begin at 3 p.m. at the Susquehanna church, 6694 Sunrise Ave., Wrightsville, with picnic games such as egg toss, sack race, three-leg race, peanut scramble, candy count, and cake walk. It concludes with an after-dinner concert and sing-along.

Firefighter Remembers 9/11

Posted by Liz Cutler Gates on September 11, 2009  |  No Comments

On this day, when the U.S. remembers the attacks of September 11, 2001, we bring you the story of Larry Everett, a firefighter who was at the scene of the Pentagon attacks. This story first appeared in the September-October 2006 issue of FGBC World. To read the complete story, click here.

Today, Larry (pictured below) serves as Battalion Chief, overseeing five stations in the Springfield, Va., area. He is known to many in the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches for his involvement in Momentum Youth Conference. Last summer, he coordinated the We Care Pittsburgh projects.

9/11 Firefighter Remembers ‘Taste of Hell’

Larry Everett had a taste of hell that day five years ago.

Everett, a firefighter, was called in to assist when a hijacked Boeing 757 slammed into the 29-acre Pentagon complex on September 11, 2001. Everett vividly recalls entering the third floor of the massive facility and being met with a wall of fire. Temperatures exceeded 2,500 degrees—he and his crew of 25 watched metal desks and file cabinets melt before their eyes.

Wearing firefighting gear rated for only 1,500 degrees, Everett is convinced that God protected him in the inferno.

A member of the elite Fairfax County, Virginia, Fire and Rescue Department, Everett and his colleagues spent nine hours in active firefighting that day.

Their strategy on the upper floors was to push the fire further back into the building where it would starve and be extinguished. But no matter what they did, they could not escape the intense heat.

“This is what hell is going to be like,” Everett remembers thinking. The impact of the airliner and leaking fuel produced intense heat and a smoky blaze that penetrated three of the building’s five rings.

When the firefighters entered the first floor, they found a dark area within the collapsed building. Eighteen inches of water covered the floor—it had filtered down from firefighters on the upper stories.

There in the basement Everett saw his second picture of hell—a darkness that was so complete it established itself as a presence. “You could feel the darkness,” he recalls. “Hell is the complete and utter absence of God.”

See 9/11 Firefighter Remembers ‘Taste of Hell’ for the rest of the story.

Larry’s story is also featured by CE National, the sponsor of the Momentum conference. To read that story, click here.

Churches, Ministries Welcomed into the FGBC

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

Four new churches were welcomed into the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches during the Equip09 national conference this summer. In the September-October FGBC World you’ll learn more about these developing congregations, read reports, and see photos of this annual event, which was held in Columbus, Ohio. This free publication is available at your local Grace Brethren church or online at http://www.fgbcworld.com/.

FGBC World is an all-fellowship, all-Grace Brethren newspaper that is published six times a year. In its pages you will find stories about the Grace Brethren family around the world – from individuals who are on the front line of ministry to organizations that help impact lives for Jesus. Pick up your free copy of the September-October issue at your local Grace Brethren church, see fgbcworld.com or subscribe online to have your free copy delivered directly to your mailbox.

Ashland GBC To Host Concert

Posted by Liz Cutler Gates on September 8, 2009  |  No Comments

The Ashland, Ohio, Grace Brethren Church (Dan Allen, pastor) is hosting the Tooth and Nail Records band, Joy Electric, along with The Foxglove Hunt and Travelogue on Friday, October 2.