Workshops Available at Vision2020 Conference; Follow the Event on Twitter

Posted by Liz Cutler Gates on June 21, 2011  |  No Comments

The Vision2020 Leadership Conference announces a line-up of more than 30 seminars, workshops, and network meetings.  Seminars target leadership development and integrated ministry as well as practical ministry workshops and even an off-site missions trip.  Go to http://vision2020now.com/conference/seminars for the complete list.

In addition, you may follow the conference on Twitter at vision2020now. Regular news and announcements will be posted in the days leading up to Vision2020. Throughout conference week, updates will keep followers in touch with what is happening.

If you are posting to your own Twitter account about Vision2020 Leadership Conference, please use the hashtag #vision2020now.

Scott Weaver Obituary

Posted by Terry White on June 18, 2011  |  No Comments

Briscoe Resigns as Athletic Director at Grace College

Posted by Terry White on June 17, 2011  |  No Comments

WINONA LAKE, Ind. – Chad Briscoe, who has been the athletic director at Grace College, Winona Lake, Ind., for the last four years, has accepted the athletic director position at Mooresville High School in Mooresville, Ind., beginning on July 18.

Briscoe accepted the job because of the professional opportunities in the Indianapolis area presents and the proximity to his extended family.

“It was a very difficult decision, but I felt like this was where God was calling me and my family,” Briscoe said. “I want to thank Dr. Manahan and Dr. Katip for this opportunity to serve these last four years.”

During his four years at Grace, Briscoe was the catalyst behind a number of major improvements in the athletic department. He brought the National Christian College Athletic Association Women’s Division 1 Basketball National Tournament to Grace’s Orthopaedic Capital Center three years in a row, arranged Grace’s first-ever Big 10 basketball game in an exhibition against Indiana University on Nov. 4, 2009 and established the Grace College Intercollegiate Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008.

“Chad has helped our athletic program make significant strides during his time at Grace,” said Grace College Provost Bill Katip. “He will be greatly missed. We wish him and his family all of the best.”

In 2010, Briscoe’s hard work earned him Mid-Central College Conference Athletic Director of the Year honors. He increased student-athlete aid by 25 percent, helped raise funds for a press box and scoreboard at the softball diamond, oversaw the construction of the volleyball program’s team room and initiated the remodeling of coaches’ offices at the Gordon Recreation Center.

Briscoe’s contagious attitude and enthusiasm challenged Grace’s athletic programs to a higher degree of excellence. The men’s basketball team made a national tournament appearance the last four years, the women’s team has done so the last three years, and the women’s soccer and women’s tennis programs have enjoyed their most successful seasons in their program history during his tenure.

“My family and I have been blessed to work at a wonderful institution,” Briscoe said. “The athletic department is in a great place, and I’ve been blessed to be a part of Grace College’s journey. The Lord has assembled wonderful coaches here at Grace, and it’s been great to be a part of that.”

Longtime Grace Brethren Pastor, Scott Weaver, With the Lord

Posted by Terry White on June 16, 2011  |  2 Comments

Rev. Scott Weaver, 91. of Winona Lake, IN., formerly of Mishawaka, IN,  passed away on Monday, June 13, 2011.

Scott was born on September 10, 1919. Surviving is his wife Betty L. (Parker) Weaver, their son Gerie Weaver and two grandsons Andy (Emily) McCargar and David (Kelly) McCargar along with seven great grandchildren.

Visitation will be held on Monday, June 20, 2011 from 2-4pm and 6-8pm at the Bubb Funeral Chapel 3910 N. Main St., Mishawaka. The funeral service will be held at 12noon Tuesday, June 21st at the funeral home. Burial is to follow the service at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens

Elementary Students Raise Money for African Wells

Posted by Terry White on June 16, 2011  |  No Comments

This article appeared in the Warsaw (IN) Times-Union on June 15. ICDI is a cooperating organization with the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches and was founded and is led by former GBIM missionary Jim Hocking.

Students from Shellie Miller’s third-grade class at North Webster Elementary School present a check for $717 to Ted Rondeau from Integrated Community Development International of Winona Lake, Pictured (L to R) are: Chloe Beller, Rondeau, Alexis Whitaker and Nathan Bess. Photo provided.

NORTH WEBSTER ,IN– Students in Shellie Miller’s third-grade class at North Webster Elementary School decided to help people in Africa after discovering that many people there lack clean water.
The class read the book “A Long Walk to Water”, which chronicles the story of Salva Dut, one on the Lost Boys of Sudan from the mid-1980’s. Students found that lack of clean water is a major problem in Africa. Many women and children walk four to eight hours a day to collect water for their families. This water is usually dirty and carries disease. A well that provides clean water can change an entire village.
Students held four lemonade stands and sponsored a hat day at school. With these events, students collected $717. This money was donated to Integrated Community Development International in Winona Lake. This money will be used to repair a well in a village in the Central African Republic.
Helping repair a well in Africa gave these third-grade students the opportunity to see the world globally and see that they can make a difference outside of their everyday world.

Woodville Campers Help Clean Up Town

Posted by Terry White on June 15, 2011  |  No Comments

Melissa Shanahan, 14, of Fremont, and McKenzie L. Brown, 9, of Mansfield, pick up trash in Liberty Park. Sixty campers attending the week-long Woodville Grace Brethren Summer Youth Camp spent Tuesday afternoon sprucing up Liberty Park in Mansfield. / Dave Polcyn/News Journal

Summer youth campers from the Woodville Grace Brethren Church in Mansfield, Ohio (Ron Smals, pastor) are featured in today’s local newspaper. To read the entire article, click here.

Tracts Keep Spreading the Gospel

Posted by Terry White on June 14, 2011  |  No Comments

When the semi-trailer backed up to the BMH loading dock today, it brought a new printing of several hundred thousand copies of BMH’s premier gospel tract, “Life’s Most Important Question.”

More than five million copies of the tract are now in print, in version that include King James scriptures (KJV), New International Version (NIV), and Spanish. The original version of the tract was generated out of an evangelistic campaign in Africa in the 1970s directed by GBIM missionary Wayne Beaver.

Periodic reports come in to the BMH office of people who have effectively used the tract in witness, and of people who have found a relationship with Christ through it. BMH is grateful for the financial and prayer support which make it possible to produce life-changing literature that has lasting effect for Christ’s kingdom.

Whittier Community Grace Brethren Celebrates New Location

Posted by Liz Cutler Gates on June 10, 2011  |  No Comments

Community Grace Brethren Church, Whittier, Calif., renovated a former furniture store for their new church campus.

There were 140 in attendance the first Sunday that Community Grace Brethren Church, Whittier, Calif., worshipped in their new facility.

In the spring of 2009, Community Grace Brethren Church (Richard Todd, pastor) in Whittier, Calif., sold their facility to an evangelical, Bible-teaching church and embarked on a search for a new place to worship. While they looked for a permanent location, they met on Sundays at the Whittier Senior Center.

In September 2010, Pastor Todd announced that they had closed escrow on a former furniture store, located at 8109 Greenleaf Avenue in Whittier.

Since then, they have been renovating the facility for use as a church.

On May 27, they received word that they could occupy the building. This week, Pastor Todd recalled that moment in his regular newsletter to the congregation:

We were given the green light to begin worshipping at our new church campus on Friday, May 27, 2011. Then we started calling to get the word out. I was excited as we moved in to our new church campus on Sunday, May 29, 2011. In the future, each Memorial Day weekend we will have an additional remembrance in that we occupied our new church campus that weekend. I am still excited.

Ministry Trip Changes Direction

Posted by Liz Cutler Gates on June 10, 2011  |  No Comments

When the church in South Bend, Ind., where the young people from the Grace Brethren Church in Wooster, Ohio, planned to serve at a soccer camp, closed unexpectedly, the leadership looked for other opportunities. With only a few weeks to plan, what had been The South Bend Trip became The Trip to the South to help with tornado disaster relief in the Birmingham, Ala., area.

“God’s hand has been on this trip the whole time and what he’s doing is phenomenal,” says Nick Cleveland, high school pastor. “Our high school ministry team of 42 students and volunteers will be joined by seven members of an adult team from Grace, totaling 49 from Wooster in this relief effort.”

The team from Wooster will be partnering with Christian Service Mission (CSM) in Birmingham, Ala., as the organization meets the needs of its community after a devastating tornado tore through their state.  CSM has put all of their “normal” projects on hold and are focusing their efforts on tornado relief.

The team leaves from Wooster early Monday morning. Follow their trip on twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/nickcleveland or http://twitter.com/#!/Daronbutler. They will also be posting updates to the Student Ministries Mission Trips. (This site will also update their trips to Urban Hope and San Francisco in July.)

Grace Brethren Pastor Leads Memorial Service for Fallen Soldier

Posted by Liz Cutler Gates on June 9, 2011  |  No Comments

Today’s Akron (Ohio) Beacon Journal carries a report of the funeral of a Wayne County, Ohio, soldier who was killed in Afghanistan. Pastor Brad Kelley, of the Grace Brethren Church in nearby Homerville, Ohio, had a part in the service. A portion of the story appears below. To read the complete story and see photos, click here.

Rev. Brad Kelley makes opening remarks during a memorial service for 1st Lt. John M. Runkle Jr. at Northwestern High School on Wednesday in West Salem. (Ed Suba Jr./Akron Beacon Journal)

Hometown hero saluted

Wayne County soldier who died in Afghanistan is recalled as quiet leader who gave life for friends

CHESTER TWP.: The war came home to western Wayne County on Wednesday.

American flags lined the rural roads leading into the village of West Salem and along the road to Northwestern High School in neighboring Chester Township.

Outside the high school on a sweltering June afternoon, Patriot Guard Riders stood at attention.

The flag at the school was at half-staff. …

… The Rev. Bradley Kelley of Grace Brethren Church in Homerville called Runkle a ‘’saint” and a ”hometown hero.”

Runkle, he said, ‘’shared the spirit” of the words of Jesus, when he spoke of giving one’s life for his friends.

”Words cannot express the sorrow” felt by the community, Kelley said. …

To read the complete story and see photos, click here.

Courter Moves to Valley GBC as Associate

Posted by Terry White on June 9, 2011  |  No Comments

Douglas A. Courter is the new Associate Pastor of Church Ministries at Valley Grace Brethren Church, Hagerstown, MD (Dan Pritchett, pastor). Courter had been senior pastor of the Calvary Grace Brethren Church of Hagerstown for 14 years. Prior to that he was the associate pastor of the Winchester GBC in Winchester, Virginia for 5½ years and Pastor of Youth, Music and Christian Education at the Canton GBC in Canton, Ohio for 8½ years.

Doug & Barb Courter

Pastor Courter was born in Toledo, Ohio, and grew up in that area with two older sisters and a younger brother. He received his B.A. degree from the University of Toledo, in Toledo, Ohio, in 1978 and his Th.M. degree from Grace Theological Seminary in 1983. His area of specialty was in biblical counseling. In 2005 he began his Doctor of Ministries program through Grace Seminary and went to Africa on a teaching trip March 2005.

Pastor Courter was married to Barbara Winstead in 1981 and they have four children: Karen, David, Kellyann and Benjamin.

Pastor Courter has been actively involved in the Mid-Atlantic District and North East Ohio District Youth Committees and has served on many other committees. He has also been involved in Momentum (formerly, Brethren National Youth Conference) since 1983. He has served in many capacities, including a number of years as a Quiz Master in the National Bible Quiz program. This year he began to function as the National Director of that program. He is currently the Chairman of the Ministerium and the Chairman and Treasurer of the District Missions Board. He served on the Fellowship Council (filling a two year opening) of the FGBC and was then reelected for a five year term on that Council. He has also served on an advisory committee to the Washington County Board of Education.

It was in 1969 that Douglas Courter trusted Christ as his personal Savior as he was traveling back from a vacation in Florida. His cousin had been faithfully witnessing to him for the past number of months and had impressed on him again his need to ask Jesus to be his Savior. So, in the car, somewhere in Alabama, he received the forgiveness of his sins. God continued to work in his life until, just a few years later, he dedicated himself to full time Christian service.

Courter has many interests, but travel, golf, and computers are his main hobbies. In the fall of 2001 he began teaching Information Technology classes part-time at Hagerstown Community College, including teaching at the Maryland Correctional Training Center, a prison outside of Hagerstown.

Boehms Assist Greensboro Church Plant

Posted by Terry White on June 7, 2011  |  No Comments

Zach Doppelt, pastor of the Ghent Grace Brethren Church in Roanoke, Virginia, sends along this update on one of the FGBC’s newest church-planting efforts:

Greensboro Grace Brethren Church, a church plant in greater Greensboro, NC, completed their boot camp training program this May at Camp Tuk A Way in the Blue Ridge mountains of Virginia. Ron and Chery Boehm, church planting coaches with VisionOhio, led the newly formed church plant’s core group of 15 members through a process of casting vision and establishing goals. Greensboro Grace’s church planters, Daniel and Teressa Pierce, say their “passion and the driving force of this church plant is to glorify God and boast in the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

 Ron and Chery Boehm guided the team through a process of identifying their core values, writing their mission statement and recognizing key ministry areas in which they need to see tangible results to fulfill their mission. The team also spent some time working on their budget and fundraising strategies. Daniel Pierce led the team in devotions and worship, and he gave several opportunities for reflection and prayer, relationship building, and open group discussion.

 During the BootCamp experience, several families testified how God had been working on their behalf providing direction, job opportunities, and the opportunities to sell and buy their homes. They also shared about the open doors God has given them to share the Gospel and make special connections with people in the area – signs that strengthened their resolve to continue following God’s lead.

 The church plant core team meets together twice a week at the home of Daniel and Teressa, but have the goal of multiplying small groups in the communities in which they live. These “missional communities” will be organized into future church plants as the core team members strategically settle in their homes in Guilford, Rockingham and Stokes Counties, all in the Triad/Greater Greensboro region.

 Many of the core group members have moved from other states, and desire prayer for their transition processes, as well as prayer that they will be effective in spreading the gospel to their neighbors, friends and communities.

 If you would like to prayerfully or financially support this church plant, or if you would like to share your stories of God’s work in your community, please contact Daniel and Teressa Pierce at 336-951-3579 or via email at dan.pierce53@gmail.com.

At Grace Brethren, We Were Never Alone

Posted by Liz Cutler Gates on June 6, 2011  |  No Comments

Zechariah Joshua Hogan appears completely at ease as he prepares to enter the Grace Brethren High School graduation with 55 fellow seniors. The graduation marked the school's 19th commencement ceremony Friday in Simi Valley. (Ventura County Star photo)

The Ventura County Star includes a story about graduation at Grace Brethren High School in Simi Valley, Calif. Fifty-five seniors graduated last Friday (June 3) from the school, which is sponsored by the Grace Brethren Church in Simi Valley. To read the complete story, click here.

For Grace Brethren High School senior Amanda Bierhorst, life as she knows it will be changing quite a bit after graduation.

Bierhorst contemplated life outside the small private Christian high school while speaking in front of her fellow classmates and several hundred family members and friends during the Class of 2011 graduation ceremony held Friday at Grace Brethren Church in Simi Valley.

Service Set for Hal Avey

Posted by Liz Cutler Gates on June 5, 2011  |  1 Comment

There will be a memorial gathering for Hal Avey at 3:00 p.m., Tuesday, June 7 at Wedgewood Tennis Villa’s Clubhouse, 1401 Forest Hills Drive, Winter Springs, Fla., 32708. Hal was the father of Tom Avey, coordinator for the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches.

This will be an informal service led by family members.  Carol and the family will be in the Clubhouse at 2:00 p.m. to receive friends and family.

 The family requests no flowers.  Any gifts can be made to the Golden Retriever Rescue http://www.grrmf.org/ in Hal’s memory.