REPORT TO THE 2013 US NATIONAL CONFERENCE | JUNE 2013
REPORT TO THE 2019 US NATIONAL CONFERENCE
REPORT TO THE 2021 US NATIONAL CONFERENCE
Oce of the Bishop
REPORT 11
Todd H. Fetters
Bishop
Since assuming this oce in 2015, I’ve worked hard to maintain the continuity of the ocial and unof-
cial themes that issue from our National Conference, with the rallying prayer of “Let the Wind Blow!” It’s a
simple prayer that invites the Church of the United Brethren in Christ to trust the indwelling Person of the
Holy Spirit to lead each of us, our churches, and our movement.
In 2015, we were introduced to the theme, “Neighborhoods and Nations.”
In 2017, when we celebrated our 250th anniversary as a denomination, we rearmed our core commit-
ments—Gospel, Unity, Mission—and restated our existential purpose, “to strengthen existing churches and
start new ones” under the superintending power of the Holy Spirit.
In 2019, we called everyone to the core discipline of prayer with the theme, “Let’s Pray!”
Now, in 2021, we will rearm our commitment to Jesus’ divine assignment in Matthew 28:17-20 with the
theme, “Make Disciples.” e foundation is established, and I’m eager to see the coalescing of these themes
into a harvest of ministry and multiplication.
Five Strategic Initiatives
Since 2017, ve strategic initiatives have guided the work of the Bishop’s oce.
1. Organize a denomination-wide prayer network.
While we have not yet developed a prayer “network,” our emphasis on prayer has led to stronger commit-
ments to the discipline of prayer among our pastors, many of whom have developed a culture of prayer in their
own churches. Over 60 pastors have participated in a Strategic Renewal cohort led by coach Daniel Henderson.
He was our keynote speaker at the 2019 US National Conference, which met under the theme “Let’s Pray!”
In 2019, prayer cards were created for each of our clusters, with prayer requests submitted by pastors of
the various churches. It’s been encouraging to have folks request these again.
2. Facilitate a local church assessment and consultation program.
is has involved prioritizing our own “human resource” rather than some written plan intended for a
church to follow. We have found value in “face to face, heart to heart” connections. We’ve seen encouraging
signs of fruitfulness.
3. Continue investing in cluster leaders as catalysts for strengthening and starting churches in their
region.
Cluster leaders are the backbone of our denominational structure. In addition to our personal invest-
ments of time, conversation and prayer, we make sure they are equipped to support their pastors. Many cluster
leaders are actively engaged in stationing their pastors. Mike Dittman, as director of National Ministries,
works closely with our cluster leaders. Every January, we bring all of the cluster leaders to Huntington for the
Cluster Leader Winter Gathering.
4. Recruit pastors who can strengthen and start churches.
We do our best to assess a pastoral candidate’s commitment to multiplication during each stationing
process. Our Fresh Start initiative has laid out a pathway for church planters to identify with us and enables us
to assess them.
5. Appeal to churches to identify and invest in our next generation of pastors, church planters, and
missionaries.
e Veritas eological Institute at Huntington University is a good start, but we have much more to do.
e Pastoral Leadership Ministry Team is ready to roll up their sleeves with me to lay out a strategy.
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2019 US National Conference
In our 252nd year as a Church, the National Conference was convened in Bowling Green, Ohio, on
the campus of Bowling Green State University. Over 700 registrants participated in the four-day event. We
gathered under the banner, “Let’s Pray!” is was the rst time we have conducted National Conference on a
college campus since 2005, when we met at Huntington University.
Daniel Henderson, author of many books on prayer, including, Transforming Prayer, was the keynote
speaker the rst two nights. He spoke passionately on the topic of prayer, delivering memorable lines such as,
“He is worthy; we are needy,” and “We must seek God’s face before we seek his hand.”
Daniel was a familiar face and voice to many of our pastors who had read his books over the past 18
months. Nearly 40 UB pastors and leaders had participated in one of his 90 Days to Pastoral Renewal cohorts.
His ursday aernoon workshop was a hit! e room was set up for 250 and nearly 300 attended, giving
evidence that there was a hunger to learn how to lead dynamic prayer meetings in our churches that were
worship-based, Scripture-fed, and Spirit-led.
David Datema keynoted the Friday evening service, which focused on missions. Dave was familiar to
many UB people, as an ordained UB minister and an endorsed missionary with UB Global. I then concluded
the conference with a message on Saturday morning.
e ursday morning business session featured many editorial changes to the Discipline. ere was
much discussion about changing the expectations of ministers with respect to mandating abstinence from
alcohol and tobacco. e results of a ballot vote were in favor of bringing all members of the Church of the
United Brethren in Christ, USA, under the same standards: “We urge all of our members to avoid using alco-
holic beverages” and “…all members are urged to abstain from its [tobacco] use in any form” (US Discipline,
page 11).
I followed up the decision with a letter the week aer National Conference to all UB licensed ministers
to remind them of our strong stances on alcohol and tobacco and provide an ocial interpretation of the
new standard: “We permit, but do not endorse.” I also commended our licensed ministers “to navigate [their]
freedom in Christ through the counsel of the Scriptures, the indwelling guidance of the Holy Spirit, and the
encouraging accountability of the church, which includes [their] ministry peers.”
Strategic Partnerships
Strategic partnerships expand our leadership. We have a number of them—some going back decades,
some very recent.
Huntington University
We cherish our partnership with Huntington University. We founded this college in 1897, and it has been
our preferred partner in higher education ever since. Dr. Sherilyn Emberton, who became the president in
2013, is a visionary, action-oriented leader. She champions the close relationship between the church and col-
lege at every opportunity. We can all be proud of Huntington University. ey continually add programs, and
big plans are in the works as the University approaches its 125th anniversary in 2022.
UB Association (UBA)
We have been in partnership with the UBA since it was created as the “Mid-Atlantic Foundation” in 2005.
It was launched as a solution to the group health insurance challenges that our ministers and churches faced
when annual conferences were disbanded between 2005 and 2007. e team at the United Brethren Na-
tional Oce (UBNO) and other UB ministers are insured through this network. e UBA also wants to be a
resource to pastors, local churches, and mission work, especially at its biannual spring and fall meetings. Rev.
Michael Mudge is the president of the UBA. ere is a membership body and a board of directors.
National Association of Evangelicals (NAE)
One of our Core Values says, “We link with the larger church.” e statement says, “We are not separatist
in mentality or practice. Rather, we intentionally develop connections with other Christian denominations
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and groups which are similar in purpose and spirit, so that we can more broadly advance the work of the
Great Commission and impact our world.”
One example is the National Association of Evangelicals, in which we have been a member denomination
since 1953. Over the years, various UB bishops and other UBs have served in leadership positions with the
NAE and its mission arm, World Relief. I feel that the NAE provides the gold standard denition for evangeli-
cals in a day when the word “evangelical” is sometimes viewed negatively. I appreciate the NAE’s non-partisan,
Bible-based, winsome, and wise voice in the public square.
I was privileged to serve on the Presidential Search Committee that led to the historic appointment in
October 2019 of Dr. Walter Kim, the son of Korean immigrants, as the new executive director of the NAE.
Heather Gonzales, the oldest daughter of former bishop Paul Hirschy, continues as Chief Operations Ocer
of the NAE.
Strategic Renewal
Our relationship with Strategic Renewal began prior to the 2019 conference and has continued. I value
the relationship I’ve developed with Daniel Henderson. Furthermore, I trust the ministry of Strategic Re-
newal, as do many of our pastors. I will continue to promote this organization for the health of our pastors
and for the spiritual vitality it brings to our local churches as they develop a culture of prayer. e partnership
between Strategic Renewal and the Church of the United Brethren in Christ doesn’t come with a contract or
continuing obligations.
Church Multiplication
Our strategic partnership with Andy Sikora has helped us dene our strategy in church multiplication.
We are eager to expand his role as Associate Director of Church Multiplication. In addition, we have devel-
oped two other strategic partnerships: with Exponential, a church multiplication organization with a focus on
disciple-making; and with Stadia, which assists us in assessing potential church planters.
Pure Desire
A recent addition to our strategic partnerships is Pure Desire, an organization which is a resource for
sexual addiction and trauma.
Other Activities & Initiatives
Funds for Ministry and Multiplication
Since May 2016, over $1.5 million has been earned or given for the purposes of ministry (Discipline
532.3) and multiplication (Discipline 442.3.d). Funds earned came through the sale of six UB-owned proper-
ties. Four of those properties were former UB churches owned by the denomination: in Harrisonburg, Va.;
Fountain Hills, Ariz.; and in Freeport and Traverse City, Mich. In addition, several churches sold all or part of
their property and donated it to the denomination. We also received money from a family trust.
Two places in the Discipline recommend using funds from church property for church planting and other
denominational ministries:
• ¶442.3d addresses churches which close: “It is recommended that money from the sale of closed
churches be given to the US National Conference to start new churches.”
• ¶532 gives four options regarding property which reverts to the US National Conference, including:
“Sell the property to an outside interest and use the funds for ministries within the US National Conference.”
Two other properties owned by the US National Conference are the Bethesda Haitian UB church in
Bradenton, Fla., and the United Brethren Building in Huntington, Ind. e Bradenton property continues to
be used and maintained by a Haitian congregation. We share the UB Building with Huntington University.
In May, we welcomed the Huntington University Advancement Oce to the building. Previously, the Gradu-
ate School and counseling program occupied oces on the east side of the building (originally home to the
printshop). We enjoy our interactions with the HU stapersons.
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Clergy Financial Help and Health
Our partnership with the NAE led to our involvement in a pilot program designed to increase clergy
nancial health and provide nancial help to ministers. Nearly $45,000 was raised and matched by NAE,
creating a healthy balance which is used to help ministers in various ways. In addition, around 60 churches
have participated in two Bless Your Pastor campaigns which generated $67,000 in pastor appreciation. We
commend and appreciate Gary Dilley, Janis Creason, Tom Datema, and Joe Leighton for their leadership and
stewardship. ey help manage these funds.
A Diverse Nominating Committee
In 2020, the ELT appointed a Nominating Committee which consists of a diverse group of individuals.
e inclusion of women, both lay and clergy, may be an historic rst for the National Conference. e inclu-
sion of a pastor of color of non-American descent is also notable. We can be proud of this decision. Rev. Tim
Sherman, pastor of Bethel UB church in Elmore, Ohio, was named chairperson. Other team members include
Rev. Christine Augustat (Fowlerville, Mich.), Rev. Dalton Jenkins (Yonkers, N. Y.), Rev. Steve Fish (Fort Wayne,
Ind.), Mrs. Kristi McConnell (Grand Rapids, Mich.), and Mr. Jeremiah Greenland (Shippensburg, Pa.).
Hispanic Churches
I had hoped to connect with Hispanic churches in Texas, New Mexico, and southern California in 2020.
Leaders from these churches had expressed a desire for a formal connection (or reconnection) with our de-
nomination.
Denis Casco, bishop of the Mexico Conference, and I were unable to meet in February 2020 when I was
in Southern California. e former UB churches in California are still involved in litigation due to the en-
tanglements of a Trust, which owns the properties. e matter needs to be resolved before any formal relation-
ship can be established.
The Covid-19 Pandemic
e Covid-19 pandemic aected us all in many dierent ways—our families, our jobs, our churches...
everything. Some of us lost loved ones; at least three United Brethren ministers succumbed to the disease. e
eects of the pandemic will live on for many years.
Most United Brethren churches went into lockdown in mid-March and didn’t resume in-person services
until June or July. During this time, all church activities were suspended, and churches scrambled to gure out
how to be a congregation without face-to-face meetings.
I was pleased to see UB pastors and lay leaders listen to the counsel of national, state, and local civic lead-
ers and health ocials, and lead their churches to respond with an attitude of love that demonstrated concern
for others, especially the most vulnerable. Some pastors, when they rst announced the lockdown and cancel-
ling of in-person services, made it clear to their congregation that this wasn’t about religious freedom, but
about being good citizens and protecting the health of their members. I’m thankful and deeply proud. Church
governance boards tackled the issue thoughtfully and thoroughly, honored the leadership of government of-
cials, and tried to be positive team players in their communities.
In March 2020, with lockdowns descending everywhere, our pastors and churches had to make a very
quick pivot to providing online services. e learning curve was steep for many of them, but they climbed
the digital mountains and organized online services, Bible studies, prayer meetings, daily devotionals, youth
meetings, board meetings, and more. Some churches did drive-in services, with people listening in their cars
via FM radios. In good weather, some held services outdoors. But most took their services online, which they
happily discovered led to entirely new connections with people they wouldn’t otherwise have encountered.
Some pastors reported positive responses to the Gospel. As one pastor put it, “Just as the Roman Road
was a game-changer for the Gospel, this pandemic has forced many of us to take the Good News onto new
roads—the Internet—and the Gospel is ZOOMing!”
Churches reopened with varying restrictions regarding masks, distancing, seating, singing, and many
other areas—restrictions which were revised as they went along. Some churches held multiple services with
dierent requirements—masks required in one, voluntary in another—or with a second venue in the church
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with dierent requirements than for those in the sanctuary. Gradually, more and more people returned,
though church leaders gave people permission to stay home—older people, those with vulnerabilities, etc.
By fall 2020, most church ministries—youth groups, Sunday school, children’s church, small groups,
etc.—had resumed meeting. But then, in November, the Second Wave hit, and many churches again sus-
pended in-person meetings or re-imposed restrictions through the rest of the year and into 2021. e issue of
masks, while somewhat contentious, was mostly recommended and not mandated into early 2021.
e vaccines changed everything. Today, all of our churches are meeting in person and many, if not most,
oer an online option for those who are not comfortable gathering in a room with others. As we have moved
further into 2021, life has begun returning to normal—or a “new normal,” as people say.
Denominational Finances
Finance Director Marci Hammel and Judy Dyer, our nance assistant, spent hours learning about the
CARES Act, particularly the Payroll Protection Grant/Loan. Marci followed up with our bank and submit-
ted an application on behalf of the UB National Oce. We fully believed that our income would be adversely
aected, since the majority of our budget is funded through the 3.5% partnership fee that we receive from
churches.
Marci reported a 6% decrease in funds received from partnership fees. However, we also saw substantial
decreases in expenses (such as travel), so we stayed on par with 2019. e funds we received in April 2020
from the Paycheck Protection Program were returned in May.
Resources (articles, links, webinars) were sent to help our pastors, treasurers, and board chairs under-
stand the CARES Act, if they desired to apply for assistance. Some chose to apply while others have decided
not to. By my estimation, about one-third of our churches applied for and received PPP funds.
On March 23, 2020, I sent a letter to senior pastors, treasurers, and board chairpersons to inform them
that there would be no change to the 3.5% partnership fee since it represents a percentage of tithes and of-
ferings. However, the letter invited them to contact Marci or me if they “need to send less or take a hiatus.”
Simply put, I wanted to make sure that our churches were not over-burdened by their nancial obligations to
the denomination.
However, few if any churches experienced nancial struggles because of the pandemic. Overall, people
remained faithful in giving. e state of the plate throughout the denomination seems generally good. It is
anecdotally shared that our churches are near, at, or above budget. People have been faithful in continuing to
support their local churches, even if they were not attending in-person. Some churches reported that giving
actually increased when they weren’t meeting in person.
UBNO Sta
e UB National Oce closed as of March 18, 2020. All 10 persons who worked in this oce were able to
do their work from home. I preferred coming to the oce to work, and others occasionally showed up at the
oce, but most toiled away at home. We held a weekly Zoom meeting to get caught up with each other.
We promptly cancelled the various summits scheduled during April and May of 2020. at included the
May 4-8 Ministry Leaders Summit (for pastoral sta in UB churches), the Youth Workers summit, and the
three Pastor & Spouse summits: April 20-23 (churches with an attendance above 300), April 27-30 (attendance
of 150-300), and May 4-7 (attendance under 150).
For the rest of 2020, very little travel occurred—no international travel by the UB Global sta, and very
little domestic travel by me and others.
By June 15, everyone had returned to working at the national oce building. Guidelines were put in place
to ensure their protection and safety. In May 2021, we relaxed our guidelines further, and no longer require
visitors to wear masks.
Embracing the Virtual
Every crisis brings opportunities to learn, experiment with novel ideas, and incorporate new methods for
meeting needs and getting the job done. Most Americans have had a crash course in video-conferencing. We
have fully embraced it as a new way of doing business. We have used video-conferencing, mostly Zoom, in a
number of ways.
Idea to Action. e March 30, 2020, Idea to Action Symposium was cancelled and the topic was pushed
to the fall symposium slated for October 26, 2020. Both the October 2020 and March 2021 symposiums were
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held virtually.
ELT. e Executive Leadership Team met via Zoom in March 2020 and October 2020; we were able to
care for all business within a couple of hours, with no expenses for travel and lodging. e ELT then met in-
person in April 2021.
Leadership Teams. e spring 2020 leadership team meetings were moved from in-person sessions to
an online format, including the Pastoral Ministry Leadership Team (March 30), the UB Global board (April
30), and the Higher Education Leadership Team (April 15). As of June 2021, only the HELT and the ELT had
returned to in-person meetings.
UB History Course. Two sessions of the UB History Course were scheduled for March 30-31, 2020. Daryl
Elliott would teach one at Devonshire Church in Harrisburg, Pa., and Bob Bruce would teach the other at the
UB National Oce in Huntington, Ind. e two-day course was quickly transitioned to a single Zoom class
taught by Bob Bruce. It proved to be very eective. Another Zoom course was held in September 2020, with
a record 25 participants, and a third one in April 2021. Both were taught by Bob Bruce. e virtual format
enabled four Jamaicans and one Canadian to attend, and for various UBs (Daryl Elliott, Anthony Blair, Steve
Dennie, and others) to share in the teaching. e PMLT will continue oering the course virtually.
Women’s Conference. e UB Women’s Conference is held every two years. e 2020 conference was
originally scheduled to be held in Shipshewana, Ind. Instead, it was held virtually on September 25-26, and
it was a hit, with 300 women participating. Some ladies watched from the comfort of their own homes while
others gathered in “watch parties” in houses or churches. ank you to Lissa Litka, the keynote speaker, for
graciously adapting her messages to this format and helping to make the event a success.
Clusters. For the most part, clusters stopped meeting in person through the remainder of 2020. When
possible, they met via Zoom. e annual Cluster Leader Winter Gathering, which meets every January in
Huntington, Ind., was held entirely via Zoom in January 2021.
Webinars. e UBNO facilitated ve webinars in 2020 that featured four nationally-recognized authors,
including Gary omas, Daniel Henderson, and Nick Stumbo.
Pastoral Fatigue
e pandemic has been a stressful time for ministers. Dealing with virtual technology took many pastors
totally out of their comfort zone and sidelined their relational skills. ey struggled to gure out how to carry
out their pastoral calling amidst the pandemic, and how to do congregational life without meeting as a con-
gregation. And all the while, they dealt with gripes and criticisms from all corners.
Reopening brought a host of decisions they and their fellow parishioners had never dealt with before, and
they ran headlong into impassioned and sometimes politicized dierences of opinion. Pastors found people
leaving, or threatening to leave, no matter what decision was made. Some wouldn’t attend if they had to wear a
mask, and others wouldn’t attend unless masks were required.
Let me quote one pastor: “e division is exhausting. Masks vs. no masks. Covid is real vs. it’s a govern-
ment conspiracy. ‘You are a bunch of sheep’ vs. ‘You don’t love or care about people.’ It is all discouraging and
saddening, if I’m being honest....Being a leader right now (ministry or non-ministry) feels like lose-lose. You
can’t seem to make a decision that doesn’t enrage a group of people.”
Make no mistake: aer a year-and-a-half of dealing with Covid, pastors are weary.
Racial Tensions
Racial tensions exploded in June 2020 with the death of George Floyd.
My heart truly breaks for our African American brothers and sisters in the United Brethren in Christ.
I mourn with you that race relations in the United States is not where any of us had hoped and would have
thought it would be 50 years aer Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his powerful “I Have A Dream” speech
at the Lincoln Memorial.
I’ve been generally pleased with how our pastors and congregations have responded. ere’s an openness
to learn and lament like I’ve not seen before. at encourages me and should encourage all of us.
In the wake of Floyd’s death, I spent hours talking with some of our African-American and immigrant
pastors. I learned a lot and lamented some, all in an eort to lead us well. ese brothers and sisters graciously
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aorded me the privilege of listening to their thoughts and feelings. Despite a spike in frustration and a re-
surgence of fear and anxiety, each of them expressed an enduring and persevering love for the Lord and their
fellow man. ese men and women know that the real power to heal our pronounced relational divides lies in
the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Yes, we grieved together, but not as men and women without hope. Our shared hope for America and the
nations rmly resides in the Holy Spirit who can free our minds from the chains of ignorance, bigotry, and
hatred. Certainly, I must say that it seems to me that God has our attention. I know he has mine.
With 250 years of history under our belt, I’m grateful that the United Brethren church has typically
landed on the correct side of issues of race and the vulnerable. When most American denominations were
compromising to allow room for slavery, we remained abolitionist. As the Civil War ended and other denomi-
nations were trying to gure out how to make room for former slaves, we pushed ahead to advocate for full
citizenship. As we saw Native Americans and Chinese immigrants suering abuse, we spoke out against it.
We began as a denomination of immigrants, and as we expanded westward, with people from many nations
continually arriving in this Land of Opportunity, we welcomed immigrants into our congregations.
We emphasized this in 2001 when the United Brethren in Christ adopted eight Core Values. One of them,
“We Demonstrate Social Concern,” begins: “We must not only seek the salvation of our fellow human beings,
but show genuine concern for their total well-being. We recognize our responsibility to victims of poverty,
prejudice, injustice, and other forms of human suering.”
e statement continues with actions we can take in response: raise our voice, stand against, advocate,
recognize our responsibility, seek the end, insist, don’t ignore, help, respond corporately. As United Brethren,
inviting anyone to “come with us…we will treat you well” (Numbers 10:29), we can apply these in various
ways to society’s ongoing struggle with racial injustice.
While United Brethren can be thankful for our history, we do not take this moment to pat ourselves on
the back. Instead, we mark this moment by taking up the same mantle of our spiritual fore-brothers and fore-
sisters, which is to follow the example of Christ and love our neighbor, regardless of color, as ourselves.
The UB National Oce Team
Changes in the UBNO Team
We typically have very little turnover at the UB National Oce. From 2017-2019, there were no changes.
But we had a good number during the past two years.
Je Bleijerveld resigned as director of UB Global in June 2020, aer serving 12 years in that role. Frank
Yang was selected as the new executive director eective January 1, 2021. Frank, a member of Emmanuel Com-
munity Church in Fort Wayne, Ind., had served on the UB Global sta as an associate director since 2011.
Jana Gass joined the UB Global sta in 2013 as administrative assistant. She resigned in December 2020
to take a position at a local bank. Angela Vincenti became the administrative assistant in January 2021. Angela
grew up in UB churches in Michigan and Indiana, and graduated from Huntington University in 2000 with a
degree in Cross Cultural Ministry. She and her husband, Mark, have served at UB churches since 2000. Mark
is currently Pastor of Prayer and Young Adults at Emmanuel Community Church (Fort Wayne, Ind.).
Steve Fish, who had been serving on the pastoral sta at Emmanuel, joined the UB Global sta in Febru-
ary 2021. He is a 1989 Huntington University graduate and ordained UB minister who has served in UB
ministry since 1989. He lls the associate director position previously held by Frank Yang.
Judy Dyer, the nance assistant since November 2014, retired at the end of April 2021. In her place we
hired Jennifer Furnish, who grew up in Huntington and attends a local United Methodist Church.
Two longtime staers turn 65 this fall and will be cutting back their involvement.
Cathy Reich has been administrative assistant to the bishop since 2007. But long before that, while a
student at Huntington University in 1975, she began working in the former United Brethren printshop. When
the printshop closed in 1981, she became executive secretary to Paul Hirschy, then the director of Church Ser-
vices, and served in that role until 1984, when she le the oce to raise her family. She then returned in 2007.
In October 2021, Cathy will transition into a new part-time role as Events Coordinator, and will work from
home or wherever she happens to be. Cathy is the mastermind in organizing all of our events, from national
conferences to the women’s conferences to the pastor summits…and many more. I’m glad she’ll continue
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sharing her expertise in this area. We will be hiring a new administrative assistant.
Steve Dennie, our Communications director, has served at the UBNO since 1978, just aer his junior year
at Huntington University. He started as assistant editor of publications, became editor of the United Brethren
magazine in 1982, and transitioned into a centralized role as Communications director in 1993. In January
2022, at his request, Steve will begin working three days a week.
Update on Former General Ocials
I am grateful for the lives and ministry of past denominational ocials (persons elected to oce). ey
have all impacted my life in various ways. Let me give an update on those still living, and those we lost during
the past two years.
C. Ray Miller, now 93 years old, was bishop for 20 years, 1973-1993. Since 1997, he has served on sta at
Emmanuel Community Church in Fort Wayne, Ind. He and his wife, Lanie, live in Fort Wayne.
Ray Seilhamer, bishop 1993-2001, is living with his wife, Ruth, in Roanoke, Ind. Aer leaving the bish-
opric, he served three years as associate dean of the HU Graduate School of Christian Ministries, followed by
12 years as pastor of New Hope UB church in Huntington. In July 2016 he began serving two years as interim
pastor of Mount Pleasant UB church in Chambersburg, Pa. In July 2020 he was appointed senior pastor of
Zanesville UB church (Zanesville, Ind.), where he continues serving today at age 83.
Paul Hirschy was elected ve times as Director of Church Services, beginning in 1981, and then served as
bishop 2001-2005. Paul has served on sta at College Park UB church in Huntington, Ind., since 2012. He and
his wife, Barb, live in Huntington.
Ron Ramsey, bishop 2005-2009, is retired and living with his wife, E. J., in Fort Wayne, Ind.
Phil Whipple, bishop 2009-2015, passed away November 15, 2020, a victim of Covid. He was 63, and
pastoring a Missionary Church congregation in Michigan. His wife, Sandy, continues living in Michigan.
Howard Anderson was elected Secretary of Education in 1973, and then Secretary of Church Ministries in
1977. He then served seven years in pastoral ministry. He and his wife, Eva Nell, live in Huntington, Ind.
Carlson Becker, who was elected Director of Stewardship 1977-1981, lives with his wife, Naomi, in Tra-
verse City, Mich.
Kyle McQuillen was elected Director of Missions in 1993 and served in that role until 2001. He had been a
UB missionary in Sierra Leone 1983-1985, an associate director of Missions 1987-1989, and pastor of College
Park UB church in Huntington 1989-1993. He and his wife, Mar Louise, were living in Fredericksburg, Va., at
the time of his death on March 16, 2020.
Gary Dilley was the last person to be elected to head our missions program (it became an appointed posi-
tion in 2005). He was elected director of Global Ministries in 2001, and served in that position until 2007. He
pastored College Park UB church (Huntington, Ind.) for 11 years, and in July 2019 joined the sta of Emman-
uel Community Church (Fort Wayne, Ind.), where he is now Pastor of Spiritual Care and Missions. He and his
wife, Rhonda, live in Huntington.
Dr. Eugene Habecker was president of Huntington University and the elected Director of Education 1981-
1991. He went on to serve as president of the American Bible Society and then president of Taylor University
(Upland, Ind.). He recently retired and is living with is wife, Mary Lou, in Indianapolis, Ind.
Dr. G. Blair Dowden, president of Huntington University 1991-2013 and the elected Director of Educa-
tion 1991-2005, is now a senior aliate consultant at Credo Higher Education. He and his wife, Chris, live in
Greeneld, Ind.
Two other wives of former bishops are also still with us. Mossie Sites, wife of former bishop Wilber L.
Sites, Jr., who passed away in 2010, lives in Chambersburg, Pa. Eleanore Datema, wife of former bishop Jerry
Datema, who passed away in 1994, lives with her son Tom in Dorr, Mich.
The Blessing of a Sabbatical
e Executive Leadership Team granted me a month-long sabbatical in July 2020. I appreciated the op-
portunity to rest and reset. It was helpful. I was completely unplugged, never checking my email once nor call-
ing into the oce. e UBNO team did an amazing job providing the UBIC with uninterrupted service. Mike
Dittman, Cathy Reich, and Jim Bolich played vital roles in my absence. I was also pleased to be supported by
many of you as the Holy Spirit prompted you to pray.
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A Vision for the United Brethren in Christ
Since 2017, the UBNO team has focused on strengthening existing churches and starting new ones. I’ve
been seeing evidence that this vision is taking hold. But there is much work to do.
If granted another term as bishop, during the next four years I intend to focus my attention on these six
initiatives:
1. Identify, train, and send church planters to take new ground by starting new United Brethren churches
in new places.
2. Encourage and train ministers to walk with God, build disciple-making leadership teams, and launch
missional communities that help people learn and live the way of Jesus.
3. Raise and recruit next generation pastors and church planters.
4. Oversee and collaborate with stationing committees in the search for and appointment of senior pas-
tors to local churches.
5. Realign and develop the United Brethren National Oce team to eectively serve UB churches, pas-
tors, and missionaries.
6. Renovate the UBNO building to accommodate a shared working environment for the US National
Conference, UB Global, and Huntington University.
Among Our Ministers
Senior Pastor Appointments
August 4, 2019. Stephen Clymer, Victory Chapel (Liberty Center, Ohio). He replaced Don Ross, who had
served Victory Chapel for ten years.
September 8, 2019. Jody Fleming, Strinestown UB (Manchester, Pa.). Dawn Spangler retired in July 2019
aer seven years at Strinestown.
October 21, 2019. Ryan Koch, Hopewell (Auburn, Ind.). He followed Je Lawson, who had served
Hopewell for three years.
October 27, 2019. Ken Meyer, New Horizons (Rockford, Ohio). He replaced David Souers, who had
served there for ve years and resigned May 1, 2019.
December 1, 2019. Stan McCammon, Mt. Olivet (Chambersburg, Pa.). Marc Stephenson had served there
for seven years.
January 1, 2020. Dan Young, supply pastor at Findlay First (Findlay, Ohio).
January 5, 2020. Larry Reinertsen, interim at Mt. Washington (York, Pa.).
January 20, 2020. Brian Black at Macedonia (Greencastle, Pa.). Milton Herrold resigned as pastor eective
March 27, 2019.
March 1, 2020. Jason Carter at College Park (Huntington, Ind.). He followed Gary Dilley, who became
pastor in 2008 and served until June 25, 2019.
April 1, 2020. Art Page at Lurgan (Lurgan, Pa.).
June 21, 2020. Tom Datema at Gaines (Caledonia, Mich.). He followed Kelly Burnside, who served at
Gaines from November 2007 to January 2020.
July 1, 2020. Ray Seilhamer at Zanesville (Zanesville, Ind.). He followed Tom Datema, who had pastored
Zanesville since 1998.
August 1, 2020. Mark Ralph, pulpit supply at Findlay First (Findlay, Ohio).
August 2, 2020. Je Dice, pulpit supply at New Hope (Camden, Mich.). He replaced Travis Ambrose, who
resigned as of July 26, 2020, aer six years at New Hope.
August 16, 2020. Matt McKeown at First UB (Holly Hill, Fla.). He had served there as associate pastor
since 1998. His father, Chuck McKeown, the pastor since 1988, moved into a sta role.
September 1, 2020. Alan Harbold at Mt. Washington (York, Pa.). Larry Reinertson completed his interim
assignment August 30.
November 8, 2020. John Shadle at Prince Street (Shippensburg, Pa.). He had served 13 years as a UB youth
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pastor in Michigan and Pennsylvania. He replaced Mike Wentz, who pastored Prince Street for two years,
until June 23, 2020.
December 1, 2020. Robert Larimore at New Hope (Camden, Mich.).
January 16, 2021. Ernie Suman at Mt. Zion/Bobo (Decatur, Ind.). He replaced George Kuntzman, who
had pastored the church since 2015 and retired December 31, 2020.
March 1, 2021. Rikkz Premnath at First UB (Findlay, Ohio).
May 23, 2021. Mark Ralph at First UB (Van Wert, Ohio). Jody Harr, the pastor since 2005, concluded his
ministry May 21, 2021.
July 1, 2021. Mark Tinsley at Jerusalem Chapel (Churchville, Va.). He replaces Dennis Sites, who will
retire at the end of July 2021 aer pastoring the church since 1984.
July 1, 2021. Ricky Hull at Suneld UB (Suneld, Mich.).
Deaths in the Pastoral Family
Frank Yang, in his report as director of UB Global, tells about the United Brethren missionaries who died
during the past two years. I will focus here on UB ministers.
July 14, 2019. Taylor Sharp, former UB minister in Indiana.
September 9, 2019. Alan DeCristoforo, former pastor in western Pennsylvania.
September 14, 2019. Milan Maybee, 86, longtime pastor, church planter, and superintendent in Michigan.
November 24, 2019. Mark Rutledge, UB pastor since 1962 in western Ohio.
November 27, 2019. Ralph Fry, a UB minister in four dierent states going back to 1967.
December 1, 2019. Doyle Clark, former UB pastor in Michigan and Indiana.
December 27, 2019. Harold Cherry, pastor for 44 years in Michigan.
March 5, 2020. William E. Shaw, UB minister in Ohio and Pennsylvania.
March 16, 2020. Kyle McQuillen, UB missionary, pastor, and Director of Missions 1993-2001.
May 2, 2020. Richard Mose, 92, UB minister for 40 years in Pennsylvania.
May 15, 2020. Ernest Belella, 94, a retired UB minister in Ohio.
June 18, 2020. George Speas, 88, pastor of six UB churches in Michigan over a 31-year period.
November 12, 2020. Robert Miller, 87, a UB minister for over 40 years.
November 15, 2020. Phil Whipple, 63, a UB minister 1990-2009 and bishop 2009-2015.
December 20, 2020. Irvin T. Shultz, 91, a pastor for 35 years in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and West Virginia.
January 16, 2021. James Mack, 63, former pastor in Pennsylvania.
February 3, 2021. Russ Birdsall, 93, former missionary, pastor in Indiana, and for three years, 1990-1993,
fulltime superintendent of Central Conference.
February 18, 2021, Earl D. Peters, 95, UB pastor for 23 years in Pennsylvania.
February 18, 2021. Glenn Flint, 59, former pastor in Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana.
February 24, 2021. John Richardson, 87, former pastor in Ohio and Indiana.
March 1, 2021. Kent Maxwell, 83, UB minister since 1964, as well as conference superintendent and col-
lege professor.
March 7, 2021. John Wiseman, 95, UB minister in western Pennsylvania.
March 10, 2021. Paul Baker, 88, UB minister for 35 years, including 30 years at King Street UB in Cham-
bersburg, Pa. Longtime conference superintendent and trustee of Huntington University.
March 26, 2021. C. David Shisler, pastor for 12 years in Pennsylvania and Maryland.
March 27, 2021. William Miller, pastor in California 1984-1994.
April 16, 2021. Wayne Goldsmith, UB senior pastor and interim pastor since 1985 in Ontario, Indiana,
Michigan, Ohio, and Arizona.
May 31, 2021. Stephen Henry, pastor in Pennsylvania 2005-2021.
Personal
Family
Lisa and I are happily married. She cares deeply about the work we are doing, and I count her my top
prayer warrior. We enjoyed traveling together to France and throughout parts of Europe in November 2019.
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Jordan enjoys his life in Riverside, Calif., working in the athletic department of California Baptist Univer-
sity. While we miss having him around, we have no desire for him to be any other place than where he is. His
job denitely came from the hand of Jehovah Jireh.
Sometime on July 26 or 27, 2020, my younger son, Quinn, suered and survived a brain bleed. He was
quickly diagnosed with an arteriovenous malformation (AVM), and an embolization was done to shore up the
ruptured aneurysm. AVMs are rare. Only 1% of the population have one. And Quinn’s is even rarer given its
location deep inside the middle of his brain.
As I write, we are bracing for a highly invasive brain surgery. Quinn is understandably concerned as there
are signicant risks, but he is also calm and ready—a gi from the Holy Spirit and a praying church, I’m sure.
ank you for your calls, notes, and messages of encouragement.
Appreciation to Others
ank you for the trust you placed in me these past four years to serve as Bishop of the Church of the
United Brethren in Christ, USA. Every day when I enter the United Brethren National Oce, I walk down the
hallway between the pictures of our former bishops. I do this on purpose. Each in his own way held fast to our
three core commitments—Gospel, Unity, and Mission. I’ve aspired to do the same this past quadrennium. While
I’m inspired by the legacy of the past, I’m also grateful for the extended leadership given by the following:
1. Our Devoted Pastors and Ministers. Our pastors have the challenge of living and leading in such a way
that echoes Saint Paul’s words, “Follow me as I follow Christ.” at’s not easy. But I am grateful for the men
and women in our ministerial ranks who have been determined to show Jesus and point others to Jesus de-
spite the circumstances. You are impressive, and it is truly my pleasure to serve you!
2. Our Dedicated United Brethren National Oce Team. You won’t nd a more hard-working team
around. is group truly cares about what they do for our churches, pastors, and missionaries. We laugh a lot.
We even cry some, too. Life has dealt us blows, but we rally together to support each other and to work for the
Church. It is my privilege to watch them care for the Church…care for you.
3. Our Diligent Cluster Leaders. We have over 20 cluster leaders who support and encourage our pastors.
ey willingly add this responsibility to their already full plate as senior pastors. Being a “pastor to pastors” is
something our cluster leaders gladly do. ey are the backbone of our structure.
4. Our Pastoral Ministry Licensing Team. ese eight members do the work of credentialing in our de-
nomination and maintaining the Pastoral Ministry Handbook…and they do it well. is team is responsive to
individuals in the licensing process, even to the point of initiating contact to see if they can assist in any way.
5. Our Higher Education Leadership Team. is team of six helps foster the denomination’s relationship
with Huntington University. at relationship is strong! e ideas generated from this group have been mutu-
ally benecial, such as the Idea to Action Symposium.
6. Our Executive Leadership Team. ese 12 members have served the National Conference well during
the biennium. You can be proud of them. ey’ve upheld your integrity. ey’ve listened carefully and decided
wisely. ey’ve honored the Lord. ey’ve supported the Church.
7. Our Magnicent, Faithful God. e Lord, as usual, has been nothing short of impressive. I will always
point to his faithfulness. His track record is what we rely upon to see us through each day and to lead our
movement along an inspiring, fruitful path.
My father introduced me to three-word prayers over a decade ago. So, I end with this simple prayer at the
close of one quadrennium and the start of another: “Your Glory Lord.” Amen.
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