BMH Editor's Blog

From the Surrey (BC) Now:

Pastor Kevin Cavanaugh (left) from Cedar Grove Baptist and Pastor Philip Bryant (right) are at the forefront of starting Surrey's newest church to be housed in Strawberry Hill Theater starting September 9. (Marten Youssef Photo)

Sending message of hope out to Newton
New church will be multicultural and hold Sunday services in movie theatre

Published: Friday, August 17, 2007

In three weeks, about 350 people will pack theater 11 in Strawberry Hills Cinema searching for hope.

This will not be a Hollywood-inspired event or a movie night, as September 9 will mark the opening of Surrey's new church - Community of Hope Church. In the midst of the most multicultural and multi-faith community in Surrey, Newton will be the home of the new church dedicated to explore that message of hope with the community.

"In the age of war, global warming, poverty, family dysfunction, brokenness, purposelessness we are looking for answers. We are looking for hope and most people don't know where to get answers to these questions," says Philip Bryant, the pastor who will be leading the church along with his wife Beth and three daughters.

"Hope is the energy necessary for life. We look for hope and security in cars, jobs, money but none of these things seem to satisfy us," says the 39-year-old Bryant.

To attract more people who want to ask questions about God and Christianity, the theater was seen as the best place.

"People are asking about God and what he is to them. People are looking for community and relationships and we wanted to pick a neutral place where people can feel safe to come and ask tough questions," he says.

Hope Community Church has launched a massive campaign aimed at getting people in the Newton area to think about hope. Tens of thousands of brochures, some even with popcorn bags, are being distributed in the community and buses are carrying advertisements urging people to give hope a chance.

But the biggest help has come from the churches of Surrey. "I am amazed with the response we have received from the churches in Surrey. I don't think we would be where we are today if it weren't for these churches," Bryant says.

Cedar Grove Baptist is at the forefront of assisting the new church. "Forty people from our congregation are leaving Cedar Grove to help in the build up of the new church. That includes our worship leader and team. Forty others have committed to being there for sometime as well," says Kevin Cavanaugh, senior pastor at Cedar Grove.

"The most remarkable thing here is that Cedar Grove and Hope Community Church are not the same denomination, but they are still so supportive," says Bryant.

Despite the resounding response Bryant and the leadership team have received from the churches in Surrey, he is very aware of the challenges ahead.

"This is not going to be easy. I think some people might see us as a cult. Second, we are trying to start a multicultural church with mostly white people. But we have been really doing our homework in understanding the people we are wanting to serve," Bryant says.

Bryant and his family moved to Surrey from Ontario in 2005 with the hopes of starting a new church for the Grace Brethren denomination.

"Our goal is to contribute to creating a health community where people feel safe and free to take on the tough issues in their lives," Bryant says.

Ken Ham (pictured), CEO of Answers in Genesis, will be speaking at the Answers in Genesis Family Conference in Winona Lake, Indiana, Wednesday and Thursday, September 26-27.

Ham is a popular speaker in the U.S. on biblical and creation topics, as well as an author and radio host. The public is invited to attend all six of Ham's presentations.

The conference schedule is as follows:

Wednesday, September 26
10:00 a.m."The Relevance of Genesis to the Christian Faith"Orthopaedic Capital Center
6:30 p.m. "Genesis: Key to Understanding the Decline of the Culture" Rodeheaver Auditorium
8:00 p.m. "Dinosaurs and the Bible" Rodeheaver Auditorium

Thursday, September 27
10:00 a.m. "Defending the Faith in Today's World" Orthopaedic Capital Center
6:30 p.m. "How to Evangelize Today's Secular World" Rodeheaver Auditorium
8:00 p.m. "The Origin of the Races" Rodeheaver Auditorium

For more information about Answers in Genesis, go to http://www.answersingenesis.org/. For information on Grace College & Seminary click on http://www.grace.edu/.

Peninsula Grace Brethren Church of Soldotna, Alaska (Pastor Keith Randall) sponsored the Care2Run Family Fun Run on Saturday. The race is a fundraiser to support the area's homeless and at-risk teens.

Three runners tied for first place at the event, Elisabeth Habermann, Connie Best and Jennifer Mishler. The trio finished the course, which was a bit more than five kilometers, in 25 minutes, 4 seconds.

The complete results follow:

1 (tie). Elisabeth Habermann, Connie Best, Jennifer Mishler, 25 minutes, 4 seconds; 4. Stacia Forsi, 29:10; 5. Elizabeth Lochner, 30:29; 6. Jim "JD" Duncan, 31:08; 7. Deanna Martin, 36:14; 8. Dean Larson, 42:29; 9 (tie). Matti Martin, Sawyer Rickman, Josiah Martin, 42:59; 12 (tie). Darius Martin, Blair Martin, 46:24; 14 (tie). Sonora Martin, Ronna Martin, 46:25; 16. Scott Habermann, 48:34; 17. Aiden Bowers, 49:07; 18 (tie). Tria Bowers, Katie Bowers, 49:10; 20 (tie). Niki Countryman, Sherri Reid, Maggie Peterson, 60:57.

Liz Cutler Gates (pictured), editorial director at BMH and editor of FGBC World, had a birthday yesterday.

Staff members from BMH and FGBC gathered to enjoy some ice cream pie from Ritters and to celebrate.

This week also marks the conclusion of the internship of Heather Barrett, a marketing student from Indiana Wesleyan University, who has been interning with BMH during the summer of 2007.

Neil Cole (pictured), pastor of a Grace Brethren church in Signal Hill, California, and executive director of Church Multiplication Associates, is featured in a current article from Leadership Network. Here is an excerpt -- the entire article may be seen by clicking on http://www.pursuantgroup.com/leadnet/advance/aug07s2a.htm


A few weeks before a young pastor began his ministry in a new town, he decided to visit the largest-attendance church in the area, just two blocks from his own new church. As he sat through a worship service he decided quickly that he "could do church better than this."

It didn't take him long after leaving that worship service to realize his attitude was "ugly."

Neil Cole is a pastor, church planter and author of several books, including The Organic Church. He is also that young pastor who decided he needed to apologize for his judgmental attitude that surfaced while sitting in the pew at his neighboring church.

"I wrote a letter to that pastor," Neil says. "I confessed what I had done and I committed to pray for that church every time I passed its facility. Since it was just two blocks away, that meant I prayed for them a lot."

Neil's honesty and humility led to a friendship with the pastor and ultimately to the collaboration of authoring two books together.

"That was my first experience partnering with another church," Neil reports. "It was Conservative Baptist and I was Grace Brethren. I learned that if it's from your heart, it can be a natural flow. You work with leaders who will work with you and you keep praying for the ones who won't."

Neil isn't alone in discovering that partnerships and alliances can benefit all parties and, ultimately, the kingdom of God. In major cities across America, alliances and partnerships are being formed between churches to achieve the goal of evangelism.

Sometimes these partnerships are as simple as two pastors working together in one community. Sometimes partnerships become strategic alliances among a group of churches working toward a common goal.

"We're seeing churches across the nation networking with each other for the purpose of church planting," says Margaret Slusher, director of the Church Planting Leadership Community for Leadership Network.

"The greater purpose is reaching every man, woman and child for Christ in a city or a region. They're crossing denominational lines, sharing information and resources, all for the purpose of seeing people come to Christ."

Just arrived and ready for shipping--the new Winter 2007/Spring 2008 catalog of BMH Books products!

This 20-page full-color catalog includes the more than 120 products available from BMH Books in Winona Lake, Indiana.

Special features of this new edition include a full index by title and by author, and the addition of more than a dozen new products since the last catalog.

Church staffs and librarians are encouraged to order, without charge, as many catalogs as they can use. Call BMH Books at 1-800-348-2756 for your supply today.

All BMH Books products are also on display and available for purchase by credit card by logging onto http://www.bmhbooks.com/.

The September-October issue of FGBC World, the newspaper for the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches, is on its way to you. Below are promotional announcements that can be used in local church bulletins or newsletters.

Driven, Momentum, Equip -- three conferences this summer in the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches focused on challenging and equipping Grace Brethren people for ministry. Read about the conferences and see photos from the events in the September/October issue of FGBC World, which is available at (INSERT LOCATION) or see http://www.bmhbooks.com/fgbcworld.

Christy Morr’s classes at Grace Theological Seminary focus on spiritual formation and interpersonal communication. She’s the first woman faculty member at the seminary and she’s committed to helping students experience deep faith in Jesus Christ. Learn about Dr. Morr in the September/October issue of FGBC World, which is available at (INSERT LOCATION) or see http://www.bmhbooks.com/fgbcworld.

As an African-American in Virginia in the mid-1960s, Taylor Smith experienced many of the prejudices that forced the civil rights movement. But it didn’t make him bitter. It just made him determined to always do the best. Now he’s a leader in the largest Christian school association in the world. Read about this outstanding Grace Brethren man in the September/October issue of FGBC World, which is available at (INSERT LOCATION) or see http://www.bmhbooks.com/fgbcworld.

Charles Mayes had two great dreams in his life -- to make sure that Christian publications were available and that Christian families would be able to give their children a truly Christian education. He was instrumental in helping begin both the Brethren Missionary Herald Company (the publishing arm of the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches) and Brethren Christian Schools in southern California. Read about him in the September/October issue of FGBC World, which is available at (INSERT LOCATION) or see http://www.bmhbooks.com/fgbcworld.

A teen from the Simi Valley (CA) Grace Brethren Church, CJ Cruz, far left, spent three weeks in China this summer as part of the Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth. Here, the 15-year-old practices tai chi with some fellow students in the program. He is featured in today's Simi Valley Acorn. To read the entire article, click on
http://www.simivalleyacorn.com:80/news/2007/0824/Community/023.html Here is an excerpt from the article:


For most teens in Simi Valley, summer vacation means a break from school, hanging out with friends and enjoying all types of recreational activities.

But for 15-year-old CJ Cruz, this summer meant spending three weeks in China with about 100 other students from across the United States. As members of the Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth, they traveled together to Nanjing, each choosing a course to study there.

CJ selected Advanced Game Theory because of his interest in business and economics.
"It's a branch of economics that studies the rationality of an opponent in a game or situation," he said.

Clearly, CJ is not a typical teen.

The soon-to-be 10th-grader is homeschooled through the Simi-based California Virtual Academy, takes classes at Moorpark College and sings with the Los Angeles Children's Chorus.

He's also a member of the high school ministry at Grace Brethren Community Church.

And the talented young man is currently playing a major role in the Los Angeles Opera Camp rendition of "Figaro's American Adventure." He's spent the last two weeks rehearsing for this weekend's performances.

At yesterday's the first chapel of the year in Grace College's new Orthopaedic Capital Center (OCC), a time sequence video of the construction of the building was shown. When the building was begun in 2005, a web camera was mounted on Morgan Library, aimed at the construction site. When it was completed in 2007, the images were put together, creating a fascinating look at the project.

To see the photo sequence, click here.

Thanks to a generous lead donor, Grace College will be able to offer $1,000,000 in four-year FGBC Scholarships beginning fall 2008 to new students from the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches (FGBC).

To qualify for one of the 200 FGBC Scholarships in the amount of $5,000 ($1,250 per year), admitted applicants must be from a Grace Brethren Church and meet one of the following academic requirements: 3.1 GPA or top 40 percent of class or combined SAT of 1,000 (math/reading) or ACT composite of 21.

Students will automatically be considered for FGBC Scholarships through the Grace College application for admission and will be notified when accepted. FGBC Scholarships are renewable each year, for four years, provided academic good standing is achieved at the end of each academic year.

Ted Rondeau of Grace Brethren International Missions has called to our attention that GBIM has posted a web page announcement that a fund is available to receive contributions to assist those stricken by the recent earthquake in Peru.

A powerful 7.9 magnitude earthquake hit the coast of Peru on August 15, killing at least 337 people and injuring hundreds more.

Relief Agency Brethren (RAB) gave unanimous approval to open up a fund for Peru earthquake relief. Interested individuals will be able to donate funds to GBIM for Peru earthquake relief.

Send a check to GBIM Box 588 Winona Lake, IN 46590. Designate it for Peru Earthquake Relief.

Because GBIM does not have operations in Peru, these funds will be forwarded to organizations working there that we know and trust who will see that the monies get to the needed area.

This morning, the first chapel service of the year at Grace College and Theological Seminary, Winona Lake, Ind. was held in the new Orthopaedic Capital Center (OCC) and featured a dedication ceremony that included members of the Warsaw, Winona Lake, and Kosciusko County communities.

In the photo at right, Ron Manahan, president of the schools, thanks the individuals in the community who were instrumental in seeing the Center to completion.

Also participating in the ceremony were John Boal, chief advancement officer at Grace; John McDaniel, vice president of marketing, Biomet; Roger Boggs, director of sales and marketing administration, DePuy; Brad Bishop, director of public affairs, Zimmer; Kent Adams, former state senator and a member of the Grace board of trustees; and James Joiner, chaplain at Grace College. Two students also led in prayers of dedication.

The Orthopaedic Capital Center is the new home of Lancer athletics, chapel, and the Grace College business department. It is the only building on campus where Grace students, faculty, and staff can meet together.

The arena is the heart of the OCC. Set as an athletic arena, it will hold 2,200 cheering fans. As an auditorium, it can accommodate 2,800 people for chapels and graduation or serve as a 2,500 seat event center for concerts, seminars, and theater performances.

The video conference room holds classes and events that have 100 to 220 registrants. The largest classroom in the building is equipped with state-of-the-art technology, including flat screen video monitors, wireless Internet, and satellite access. Distance learning, video conferences, online training, and more may be accommodated in this space.

This news and photo came today from Ron Sheranko, associate pastor at First Grace Brethren Church, in Dayton, Ohio. The church recently sent a team of eight (shown at right) to Sumy, Ukraine, to minister to orphans at a camp owned by the Sumy Church of Grace.

The team left on Friday, July 20, and returned on Thursday, August 2. Responsibilities at the camp included leading crafts, teaching ESL classes, teaching Bible lessons, and introducing Baseball. A number of gloves were donated for the trip. The team also visited four different orphanages and shared testimonies with the kids and gave out gifts. Through funds raised by the team and given by the church, 70 orphans and 30 church/community kids were able to attend the camp for free. By the end of the camp, 60 boys and girls had made public professions of faith in Jesus. Pastor Ron and Terry Essex preached at the Sumy Church of Grace and one young lady came forward to give her life to Christ.

Pastor Victor will be coming to the states in February or March and we hope to have him visit other District churches and have the opportunity to share his heart for the lost and love for orphan children. Keep checking www.firstgrace.net for pictures from the trip. Email Pastor Ron (rasheranko@sbcglobal.net) if you have any questions or an interest in future trips to the Ukraine or support for the orphan ministry. What an awesome trip and a great opportunity to see God at work around the world.

In the photo, front left to right: Terry Essex, Tanya Essex, Pastor Ron Sheranko. Back left to right: Lauren Bowen, Adriel Kong, Denise Hays, Jack Herganrather, Hannah Herganrather.

Message from Rob Stanley, pastor of The Village Community Church, a new Grace Brethren church plant in Milton, Ontario, Canada:

We’re coming up to the first anniversary of the launch of The Village Community Church here in Milton, and year one has been awesome. We’ve added dozens of new members, seen lots of people come to faith, and we’ve become the groundbreaking presence in our community which we’d envisioned for years.

As we align ourselves for the fall though, we’re facing a bit of a crisis, as we are losing a great deal of the our on-site storage at the movie theatre which we meet at. As a team, we’re willing to roll with the punches and adapt accordingly, but the issue now is that we need someplace essentially to put our collapsible stage and all of our sound equipment.

The best solution as we can see it is a trailer/cube van which could house the materials and then be transported to the theatre on Sunday, but of course, these things don’t grow on trees. So, we thought we’d make a wide appeal to any and all churches in our Fellowship to see if there were any cube vans or other alternatives available to us at minimal cost.

Right now, we are a self-supporting group, so money is at a premium, but we’re committed to our dream and to our location and we feel like somehow acquiring a reliable transportation method is where we should be aiming right now.

If you know of a possible solution, or feel like you and your church could help out in some way, then please feel free to contact me at rob@villagechurch.ca or phone me directly at 905-876-4762.

More information on the church is available at http://villagevoice.ca/

Your prayers for the continuing recovery of Judy Lingenfelter (pictured) will be appreciated. Judy is the wife of Grace Brethren International Missions board chair Sherwood Lingenfelter.

Judy is Professor Emerita of Intercultural Studies at Biola University in southern California. She and her husband have worked with several different mission organizations to help them focus on issues of concern in today's changing world.

Following are excerpts from an e-mail Sherwood sent last Friday, detailing their experience in a Hawaii airport.


"Judy and I are in Hawaii. We were on our way to Guam on Wednesday, arrived in Honolulu for a two-hour layover at noon. At about 1:00 we started walking toward the gate for our flight to Guam to board at 1:10.

"Suddenly Judy gasped, and began to fall backwards. I grabbed her arm and struggled to hold her up as she fell to the floor. For several seconds I thought she had a heart attack and died. She was completely unconscious, eyes open, and unable to respond in any way.

"I tried to feel her pulse, put my hand to her mouth to see if she were breathing, crying all the time. I was so afraid she was gone, I wept in anguish.

"Then she began to breathe, and she spoke ... "what happened?" At that point I helped her sit up as people gathered around us. A security guard arrived, then a paramedic, and he advised us to go a local hospital.

"The paramedic left for a short time, and came back with more equipment and did an EKG on Judy as she sat against a wall on the terminal floor. She was feeling very nauseous, and was very pale. She could hardly respond to him or to me.

"In a few minutes he told her she had a blockage in her upper heart which caused her pulse rate to drop to 35-50 beats per minutes. We waited what seemed an interminable time for an ambulance to take her to the hospital.

"By two o'clock we were in the Straub Hospital in Honolulu, and by 5:00 pm an exceptional cardiologist had completed the installation of a pacemaker for Judy. I found a hotel about 20 minutes walk from the hospital, checked in with our luggage, and came back to find Judy in a hospital bed, complete with rosy cheeks and a smile again.

"Yesterday she was released at about 10:00 am, and we walked the 20 minutes to the hotel. Our son Joel and his family arrived in Honolulu just a hour earlier (coming from Guam) and we managed to connect by cell phone.

"It was good to be with family and to rejoice together in God's grace to us. Dr. Chun told Judy that the 'stars were aligned perfectly' for her on that day. To have a pacemaker installed within 40 minutes after we signed the papers to proceed never happens.

"Judy's heart is dependent upon the pacemaker, and cannot function properly without it. We are grateful to God for providing for Judy this exceptional care. If we had boarded the plane for Guam, and this had happened hours later, they would have had to fly her back to Honolulu.

"We are planning to stay here until August 23. Friends here have offered us a studio apartment for as long as we want to stay. Again, God has provided for us in such a remarkable way. We are so thankful today that Judy is alive, and that we can rest here together for this time."

Students enrolled in the 412 Commission classes visited the offices of the Brethren Missionary Herald Company (BMH) and the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches (FGBC) today (Monday) for lunch. After lunch, BMH staffers Jesse Deloe (senior editor), Ann Swartz Myers (operations manager), and Liz Cutler Gates (editorial director) explained the ministries of BMH and Tom Avey, fellowship coordinator, talked about the FGBC (above).

The group also toured the BMH warehouse and visited with John Leonard, books manager with BMH Books.

The 412 Commission is a year-long program to gain practical ministry experience while studying the Bible. Sponsored by CE National, the program begins with orientation in Winona Lake, Ind. Next week, the group moves to Goshen, Ind. where they will be involved with ministry opportunities at the Grace Community Church, a Grace Brethren church there. The program also includes college-level classes through Liberty University and a visit to the Holy Land.

David Guiles, executive director of Grace Brethren International Missions, recently announced the appointment of Mike Taylor (pictured) to the position of Director of Operations for GBIM.

Mike and Myra first joined the GBIM staff in 1989, when they were deployed as medical missionaries to the Central African Republic. Later Mike became the Regional Coordinator for Africa, a position that evolved into Regional Director in 2000.

Guiles said, "One of my first decisions as the new Executive Director was to invite Mike and Myra to join the team at the International Missions Center for the purpose of developing our Personnel Department. With the excellent help provided by Blaine [Horst] and other staff members, this department has grown significantly in the breadth and depth of services for our missionary team."

Since 2000 Mike has fulfilled the dual roles of Personnel Director and Regional Director for Africa.

Guiles continued, "As we seek to position GBIM for continued growth in ministry, I believe the time has arrived to restructure our supporting services in a manner that will allow us to move aggressively closer to implementing our vision and achieving our goals. The creation of the new position of Director of Operations is an important step in that direction.

"First, it is designed to release me from a number of administrative responsibilities so as to focus my best energies on our goals. I look forward to investing more time with our Regional Directors, with major donors and with potential new recruits.

"Second, I believe that combining our infrastructure and operations under one leader will greatly facilitate our ability to improve the services we offer to both our team and the FGBC.

"As of this week, all IMC staff is now under the direction of Mike Taylor. Winona Lake-based staff that will continue to answer to me directly include Wayne Hannah and our US-Mobilization Team, comprised of Jay Bell and Kurt Miller."

The Golden EAGLES (Enthusiastic, Active, God Loving, Encouraged Saints) seniors group from Grace Church, the Grace Brethren church in Ephrata, Pennsylvania (Kim Robertson, pastor) recently went on a Garden Tour.

The group visited two gardens. One garden had model trains that ran through the garden and the other garden was on a farm and included a meadow garden, flower garden, herbal garden and vegetable garden which had 60 varieties of peppers! (information and photo courtesy of Janice Burkholder)

On this grand mid-August Saturday in Winona Lake, Indiana, the downtown is parked full of vintage automobiles for the "Antique Car Fair" while vendors sell smoothies, cracked corn, and other goodies.

The big-band sounds of the New Millennium Jazz Orchestra in the Artisan's Court make lingering a pleasure.

Up on the hill, some 350 Grace College freshman and their parents are getting their first day's look at Grace College with a variety of interest-group meetings, an address by Grace president Dr. Ron Manahan, and meals together in the dining commons. This is one of the largest incoming freshmen classes in Grace's history.

The 2008 collegiate rankings by U.S. News and World Report magazine show Grace College in Winona Lake, Indiana, to be in the top tier of the Best Baccalaureate Colleges in the Midwest region.

U.S. News and World Report’s annual rankings are based on a number of criteria, including academic reputation, retention rates, graduation rates, faculty, selectivity in admissions, financial resources, and alumni giving.

Grace College’s top-tier ranking comes at a time when record numbers of prospective students are applying to the college. The campus welcomed a record 350 new full-time freshmen and transfer students at new student registration August 18. The new students come from 25 states and six foreign countries and includes 14 high school valedictorians and six salutatorians.

According to Grace College President Ronald E. Manahan, the record number of applicants is attracted to Grace College due to several factors, including the college’s commitment to academic achievement and to the Christian faith.

“We are sharply focused on our mission as an evangelical Christian community of higher education which applies biblical values in strengthening character, sharpening competence, and preparing for service,” Dr. Manahan said.

He added that in recent years Grace has continued to build on its strengths with innovative programs such as its Center for Character and Leadership Development, Millennial Scholars Academy, Orthopaedic Scholars Institute, and Presidential Scholars program, as well as establishing its new School of Music last year and providing students with increasing opportunities for community involvement and ministries.

Grace, in partnership with the orthopaedic businesses and community, recently completed a new $9.1 million events and sports complex, the Orthopaedic Capital Center, on campus. The new facility provides for indoor sporting events and the college chapel services, and is used by the community for conventions and meetings. The OCC seats up to 2,800 and is the largest facility of its kind in Kosciusko County.

In the old days, my former Grace College photography students will remember, I offered an automatic "A" in the course for anyone who could catch a photo of a lightning strike in progress.

I don't recall that anyone ever did--but we sure had a lot of wet students each semester!

Well...Dave Mitchell, recently retired from the pastorate in Hawaii and now living in the Winona Lake area, did us all proud with this double-strike shot off the dock at Winona Lake by the Boathouse Restaurant.

Dave didn't say so, but I assume this was from Wednesday two nights ago, when a spectacular lightning and thunderstorm rolled through the area.

Way to go, Dave!

Beginning September 6th through November 8th, Dr. Dave Plaster, senior pastor at Grace-Polaris Grace Brethren Church (Columbus, Ohio) will be teaching a ten-week course on “Church History”.

The class will meet Thursday evenings from 7:00 to 9:00 at the North Campus DeArmey Discipleship Center, (8225 Worthington-Galena Road, Westerville) room 213 and is open to all.

To register please contact Kristin Artrip at kristin.artrip@gbcpowell.org or call her at 740-881-6200. The cost is $10 for CEU credit and free to audit.

This morning's Hagerstown (MD) Herald-Mail newspaper carries a feature on Candy Foltz, a youth leader at the Grace Brethren church in Hagerstown. Reprinted here is the photo caption. To read the entire article, click on
http://www.herald-mail.com:80/?module=displaystory&story_id=172463&format=html


Candy Foltz spends a lot of time with local youths through her involvement with girls volleyball and basketball teams and as a youth leader at Hagerstown Grace Brethren. (Photo credit: Janet Heim / Staff Photographer)

As a girls volleyball and basketball coach and youth leader at her church, Foltz spends a lot of time with teens and preteens. Her biggest fan is her 13-year-old daughter, Chelsea.

"I think the biggest thing for her is if her friends have problems, she'll send them to see me," Candy Foltz said.

Excerpted from today's Ventura (CA) Star. John McIntosh is pastor of the sponsoring church, Grace Brethren of Simi Valley. To read the entire article, click on http://www.venturacountystar.com:80/news/2007/aug/14/gourley-resigns-from-grace-brethren/

Terry Gourley, who helped Grace Brethren School's transition from an 8-man football power to an section 11-man champion, has stepped down as football coach and athletic director for personal reasons, it was confirmed Monday.

Mark Hoeffler, a member of Grace Brethren's coaching staff for the last six years, was promoted to head coach, said Ray Blackwell, executive director of Grace Brethren Schools.

An athletic director could be hired as early as today, said Blackwell.

Grace Brethren North American Missions (GBNAM) is featured in an innovative and educational television series, Today’s Family. It will be included in a segment on “Reaching Your World for Christ” in the series “Until The Whole World Hears.” It will be aired on WE, Women’s Entertainment Network, ABC Family Network, and on PAX networks regionally.

Click on the link below to view the clip, which features Steve Galegor Jr.'s work among the Albanian people of Staten Island, New York.

Today's Johnston (Pa.) Tribune Democrat includes a story about Pam Blough, wife of Rev. Duane Blough, former pastor of Singer Hill Grace Brethren Church. She has recorded a compact disc of hymns that have helped see her through her husband's battle with cancer. (The couple is pictured at right.) To read the entire story, click here.

A local pastor’s wife knows what it’s like to go through troubled times, and she wants to shine a light for others to find their way.

Pam Blough of Stonycreek Township, wife of the Rev. Duane Blough, former pastor at Singer Hill Grace Brethren Church, has recorded a compact disc of well-loved hymns that have seen her through her husband’s multiple cancer surgeries and recovery.

“God Leads Us Along” includes hymns such as “Amazing Grace,” “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus” and “His Eye Is on the Sparrow.”

Pam Blough, 57, has been singing throughout her 31-year ministry with her husband and has been told numerous times she should make a CD.

To read more, click here.

Summer is winding down on the campus of Grace College and Grace Theological Seminary in Winona Lake, Ind. Student leaders are arriving this week, with new students and their parents coming to campus on Saturday, August 18.

Here are a few things that are happening this week...

8/13 RAs and GSO leaders at Camp Adventure (North Webster) for leadership retreat.
8/14 Growth Group Leaders arrive. Student leadership training continues.
8/15 All student leaders involved in the community Day of Caring.
6:30 p.m. Sharing time from Day of Caring, Hillside Amphitheater.
8/16-17 Student leadership training continues.
8/18 Welcome Weekend begins. New student registration, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
8/19-21 Welcome Weekend/orientation continues.
8/20 Dorms open for returning students-9 a.m.; Seminary new student orientation and banquet
8/21 Classes begin at 6 p.m.

For a complete list of Welcome Week events, click here.

In His Presence is the theme of the third annual discipleship conference at the Grace Brethren Church of Columbus, Ohio. The conference, to be held Friday and Saturday, February 8 and 9, 2008, will focus on learning to hear God’s voice by spending time with Him.

The conference begins at 7 p.m., Friday and ends at 4 p.m. Saturday. All sessions will be held on the north campus of the church, 8225 Worthington-Galena Road, Westerville, Ohio, located near the Polaris exit of I-71.

Keynote speaker for the event is Sinclair B. Ferguson (pictured at right), senior pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Columbia, S.C. and professor of systematic theology at Westminster Theological Seminary.

A graduate of the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, Ferguson is the author of nearly two dozen books, has authored numerous articles and has contributed to various symposia. His writing interests have ranged from works of scholarship to books for children. He has served as minister of two congregations in Scotland, one on Unst, the most northerly inhabited island in the United Kingdom, and the other at the center of Glasgow, the largest city in Scotland. For more than 20 years he has been a member of the faculty of Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia and Dallas, and has served as a visiting professor in various other seminaries.

He and his wife Dorothy have been married for 35 years. They have three sons, a daughter, and three grandsons.

The cost for the two day conference, including Saturday lunch, is $30 per person. To register, go on line at www.gracebrethren.org after October 1, 2007 or call (614) 410-3212 to receive a conference packet.

Neil Cole, executive director of Church Multiplication Associates, author of Organic Church, and pastor of Awakening Chapel, a Grace Brethren church in Signal Hill, Calif., will be leading two workshops in Long Beach, CA in the coming weeks.

The sessions will focus on leadership in the organic church. Saturday August 25, Long Beach, CA, The 4-1-1 on the 4/11 Leadership Roles: Rediscovering the New Testament Leadership Team for a Fully Functioning Church

Team teacher Paul Kaak- Assoc. Prof. of Organizational Leadership at Azusa Pacific University

Saturday September 8, Long Beach, CA -- Organic Leadership: Rediscovering Biblical Leadership for Organic Churches

Both hosted at the Los Altos Grace Brethren Church 6565 Stearns St, Long Beach, CA 90815

For more details and to register go to: http://www.cmaresources.org/greenhouse/happenings.asp

Driven, the young adult conference of the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches, has announced the dates for 2008. It will be held June 26 to 29, 2008 at a new site -- the campus of Otterbein College in Westerville, Ohio.

For more information, see www.drivenblog.wordpress.com or e-mail the Driven staff at info@drivenconference.com.

We've received word that Kathern Lingenfelter, wife of long-time Grace Brethren pastor Galen Lingenfelter, died August 9. She is also the mother of BMH Books author Dr. Sherwood Lingenfelter (and Grace Brethren International Missions board member).

Her funeral will be held at 12:30 p.m., Saturday, August 11 at the Grace Brethren Church of South Pasadena, Calif., 920 Fremont Avenue (Terry Daniels, pastor). A viewing will be held from 11:00 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. at the church.

The funeral will begin at 12:30 p.m.

Condolences may be sent to Sherwood and Judy Lingenfelter at 655 N. El Molino, Pasadena, CA 91101.

Her obituary appears below.

Kathern M. Lingenfelter

Kathern Margaretta Lingenfelter died on August 9, 2007 at 82 years of age in Pasadena, Calif., where she lived with her husband, Galen. Kathern, daughter of Elma Brumbaugh and George Rogers, was born in Pleasantville, Pa. on December 3, 1924. She is the fourth of five children, and is survived by her brother, Ellis Rogers of Sun City Center, Fla. Her father, George W. Rogers, was an elder in the Church of the Brethren, and founding pastor of the Leamersville Brethren Church in 1936. Her mother, Elma, was a graduate of Juniata College, and a schoolteacher for many years in East Freedom, Pa.

Kathern married Galen M. Lingenfelter on September 28, 1940 in the Leamersville Brethren Church. She is survived by her husband Galen and four children, Sherwood Lingenfelter, Paul Lingenfelter, Charlene Alexander, and Glenna Barr, and eleven grandchildren (Jennifer and Joel Lingenfelter; Carl and Daniel Lingenfelter; Benjamin, Joseph, Jeffrey and Timothy Alexander; and Ryan, Heather, and Michelle Barr). Great grandchildren include Grace and Jacob Lingenfelter, Knox and Drew Lingenfelter, and Lily Alexander. In addition she welcomed adopted grandchildren ­ Kathy, T.J., Heather, and Richard Alexander; and adopted great-grandchildren Krissty and Korri; Nicholas and Alexander Alquijay.

Kathern was a gifted piano player, learning to play at about 7 years of age. Her first hymn was "Wonderful Words of Life." She could play more than 200 hymns from memory, many of them up to two weeks before her death. Kathern served in ministry with her pastor husband as pianist and organist in Brethren churches Buena Vista, Va.; Elyria, Ohio; and Fort Wayne, Ind.

Kathern was also an exceptional seamstress, a skill that included re-upholstry of chairs and couches. She blessed her children with her musical and her sewing and decorating talents. She also had a high value for education, encouraging her sons to earn Ph.D. degrees and her daughters to complete their college education. Although she did not complete high school as a youth, she ultimately earned her Associate (1987) and Bachelor's degrees (1989) from Indiana University.

Kathern enjoyed a rich and full life with her husband and family. Galen met her in the youth fellowship of the Leamersville Brethren Church, and tells how he was attracted to Kathern by her beautiful smile. Kathern remembers how Galen came to their home for youth fellowship, and she waited expectantly for him to come and talk with her. He did not disappoint her.

Kathern was still 15 when they were married, so she had to have permission from her mother to marry. She was so proud of her first son, Sherwood, who was born just a few days before she turned 17. She loved all of her children, and gave her life to their care and education.

Kathern's greatest gift to her children was teaching them how to work and to be responsible for their livelihood. She had learned as a child how to live in the most difficult circumstances, experiencing the loss of their new farmhouse and the farm in the depression. She carried those lessons with her, and throughout her life made her family and home beautiful with her exceptional gifted hands. While they often lived with little, they never lived in want. Kathern always made sure they had plenty of food, and that they were dressed well.

Kathern's most difficult years came with the onset of schizophrenia in 1966, triggered by change of life and stress. From that time until her death she has battled that disease, which often threatened to take away her smile. She bravely continued to support her husband in church ministries, and after he retired, she continued to play the piano at any church that made her welcome. She loved the Lord, and loved to help others sing praises to him.

Several songs were precious to her in the last year of her life. She often played "My Jesus I Love Thee" on the organ in her home, and called it her theme song. She learned the chorus, "Gentle Shepherd," during that last year, and often asked Sherwood to sing it while she played. A life long favorite was "Ivory Palaces" which she remembered as a duet sung by her mother and father. She played and Sherwood sang "Rock of Ages" because that was Galen¹s favorite.

As she reached the close of her life, she played the piano for anyone who would listen in Regency Park. They called her the "piano lady." As she felt her life coming to a close, "Face to Face" became her daily theme song, and she played "When they Ring Those Golden Bells" with great intensity and beauty. Many of the patients would come to the piano and watch her hands, beautiful hands, with long fingers, streaming across the keys, bring to life the music that lived in her beautiful mind.

Kathern died of complications due to aging in Regency Park - El Molino in Pasadena. She is indeed "Face to Face" and living and breathing new music that she could only dream of in this life. Her family rejoices that she is with the Lord Jesus Christ that she loved and worshipped all through her teen and adult life.

Grace Brethren International Missions (GBIM), in their commitment to excellent training, is offering practical “how-to” workshops called On-Mission Training to help equip churches for local and global cross-cultural ministry.

The next On-Mission Training is scheduled for September 15 in the Lancaster, Pa. area at Grace Church at Willow Valley. This is the third On-Mission Training with several offerings of the workshop to be offered over the next year.

For more information about how you can have OMT in your area or receive a registration form for September 15, please contact Terri Carter at tcarter@gbim.org or call her at (574) 268-1888 ext. 13.

Anybody fishing out there? If you have followed the challenge given by Jim Brown, the 2008 Moderator for the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches, to "go fishing" for Jesus, we'd love to hear your stories! A site has been set up for you to tell your experiences.

"This site will encourage us we hear how others are following Jesus," says Brown, who is the pastor of Grace Community Church, a Grace Brethren church in Goshen, Ind.

In his moderator's address on August 1 at Equip07, he encouraged the conference to become serious about sharing their faith in Jesus Christ. It's the same message he gave to young adults at Driven07 in June (see blogpost of Saturday, June 23, 2007) and to the students and volunteers who attended Momentum last month. (Click here to read more.)

To post your story or read about other's fishing experiences, click here.

In Thursday's Aiken (SC) Today is a story about a teen at the Grace Brethren Church who is painting a mural outside the church's nursery.

Kayla Gifford is giving the church she grew up in a going-away present before she leaves for the Governor's School in Greenville.

Kayla, 16, has grown up a member of Grace Brethren Church and has attended Aiken Christian School since eighth grade following a homeschooling education. A rising junior, she plans to attend the Governor's School in the fall.

In the meantime, she's made a summer project of following up on a request the church staff made last year: a mural in the hallway outside the church's children's nursery.

To read the rest of the story, click here.

The August newsletter from the Grace Brethren church in Seal Beach, California (Don Shoemaker, pastor) carries an article about an amazing “coincidence.”

The church had sent a team of high school students to Belize in Central America, where they did construction, conducted church services, and ran a Vacation Bible School. According to the article, during the VBS 65 children accepted Jesus as Savior and 12 of the Seal Beach teens had opportunity to lead children to Christ in a town called Crooked Tree.

Part of the ministry was to provide books for an elementary school. In all, there were eight cases. The teens were able to take two cases with their luggage, but six cases had to be left behind. How would those books get to Belize? We pick up the story as taken from the newsletter:

Jeannie was at the bank and the teller saw that she had just come from tennis. The teller mentioned that it must have been hot playing tennis and Jeannie said that she had just returned from Belize where it was much hotter.

A man standing at the next teller overheard the conversation and asked her what she had been doing in Belize. She told him about the mission trip and asked him if he knew where Crooked Tree was.

His face lit up as he explained that he was from Belize, and he had two uncles who had married ladies from Crooked Tree.

Their conversation ended and they both walked away. As Jeannie was leaving, she felt that she just had to talk to this man again.

She saw him in the market and asked if perhaps he might be able to help her. She told him about the books and asked if he knew a reliable way of shipping the books to Crooked Tree Elementary School.

With a smile on his face he said he could help. In fact, this man was a pilot for FedEx and his regular route included Belize. He said he would be happy to personally take the books to Crooked Tree and would do it for free!

Another feature story appeared in today's Tri-City (Washington) Herald on the couple who were married by Pastor Paul Guay of the Mabton, Washington, Grace Brethren Church in spite of the bride's having been in a serious auto accident. The earlier posting on this blog was Monday, July 16. Today's story may be seen in its original form by clicking http://www.tri-cityherald.com/tch/local/story/9198213p-9114635c.html

Sunnyside couple gets crash course in marriage

Published Monday, August 6th, 2007
By John Trumbo, Herald staff writer

Sarah Sharpe doesn't remember her vows or much of anything else from her wedding, except that her new car was totaled and that everyone at the hospital seemed to be happy to see her "not on a slab at the morgue."

But her husband, Cody Sharpe, 24, has a clear memory of the afternoon and evening of June 17, when he and his betrothed expected to be married at the Mabton Grace Brethren Church.

Sarah, 25, was driving from having her hair done to the church when a car slammed into the driver's door of her 2006 Ford Focus.

The impact demolished her car and broke her left pelvis. And Sarah - who expected to be walking down the aisle with Cody that afternoon - ended up being taken by ambulance to Kadlec Medical Center, where she later was wheeled on a gurney to be married in the hospital lobby.

"I remember only bits and pieces," Sarah said, seven weeks after the accident that left her unconscious for 30 minutes.

Minutes after the crash in Mabton, dozens of the wedding guests who were already on the way to the church heard the news.

Sarah's bridesmaid witnessed the accident from a vehicle that was following behind the Ford Focus.

"I got the call from our pastor, who said, 'Sarah's been in a fender bender, and bumped her head,'" Cody said. That was bad, but he didn't learn how bad until after arriving at Kadlec 40 minutes later.

Wedding guests started gathering at the hospital, and as soon as Sarah regained consciousness, her first thoughts and words were, "Am I married? Am I married?' " Sarah said.

Nobody was going to crash her wedding.

While nurses and doctors in the emergency room worked to stabilize Sarah and get her hooked up to an intravenous pain-killer, Paul Guay, the minister who planned to do the church wedding, prepared to conduct an impromptu ceremony in Kadlec's lobby area.

"Someone brought flowers, and someone else brought the cake, which was placed on the grand piano," Sarah said.

A family friend swung by Sarah's house in Sunnyside and grabbed the wedding dress, ring and marriage certificate.

Although the emergency room staff was planning to send Sarah to Harborview Medical Center because of the seriousness of her injuries, the bride-to-be insisted on getting married that day.

Best man Mike Farmer and bridesmaid Tanya Bos, both of Sunnyside, were there, as were about 60 friends and guests who included parents of the bride and the groom.

The wedding photographer even showed up.

Sarah said her recollection of the marriage ceremony is fuzzy because of the effect of painkillers, but she does recall having difficulty putting the wedding band on Cody's chubby finger. She also vaguely remembers Cody's family tradition of having a figure-8 lasso placed around a couple as part of the marriage ceremony.

There was cake, the kiss, and photos with loved ones. But no honeymoon getaway.

Instead of a wedding night at a bed-and-breakfast inn in the Tri-Cities, Cody whiled away the late-night hours in his wife's room at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

"I spent the night in a rocking chair next to her bed, guarding her," Cody said.

As if being in a car wreck on the way to the church wasn't enough, Sarah said the two ambulances - one she took to Kadlec and the other to Harborview - each had a major breakdown, requiring another ambulance to finish the ride.

"And all of our honeymoon money went to pay bills," Cody said.

Despite the rough start, the couple is happily married.

They plan to do it again in the fall, so she can have the clear memory of wearing the wedding dress, walking down the aisle instead of being pushed on a hospital gurney, and saying the vows: "For better and for worse."

But in their case, maybe it should be for "worse and for better."

Dr. Terry Hofecker, the founding pastor of Northwest Chapel, the Grace Brethren church in Dublin, Ohio, and an adjunct professor at Grace Theological Seminary, taught "Seminar in North American Church Planting" during the week of Equip07, just concluded. (photos by Liz Cutler Gates)

This year's annual conference of the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches, held on the campus of Grace College & Seminary in Winona Lake, Indiana, was July 29-August 3, 2007.

By all accounts the conference was successful. With weather that was warm and cooperative, a wide range of events occurred for adults and children, all geared toward encouraging lifelong learning.

Next year's conference returns to the "Celebrate" format and will be held at the Innisbrook Golf Resort near Tampa, Florida, the dates of July 26-31, 2008. Information and registration will become available at http://www.fgbc.org/.

The last stop on the Brethren Heritage Tour Thursday evening was the Menno-Hof Amish-Mennonite Vistor's Center in Shipshewana, Ind. There, tour participants had a chance to look at the history of the Anabaptist movement and learn about the price paid by our religious forefathers for practing believer's baptism.

The tour, sponsored by BMH, was guided by Grace Brethren historian Dr. David Plaster and also featured a stop at Arnold's Grove near New Paris, Ind. where the separation of 1882 took place and a buffet dinner at Camp Mack near Milford, Ind. where Dr. Plaster explained the historical murals in the camp's auditorium.

Dave Plaster, pastor of the Grace Brethren Church of Columbus, Ohio and author of the BMH book, "Finding Our Focus," points out events in Grace Brethren history that are depicted on murals at Camp Mack near Milford, Ind. It was part of the Brethren Heritage Tour that was held Thursday evening.

Grace College & Seminary board member Raymond W. Monteith, 75, owner of Monteith Tire Co. of Warsaw, Indiana, died at 3:45 p.m. July 30, 2007, at his residence, 940 Little Eagle Drive in Warsaw.

Ray was born Nov. 14, 1931, in Roberts, Wis., to the late Guy and Mary Monteith. He graduated from high school in Winona, Minnesota. He received a BA business degree from Macalester College, St. Paul, where he met his wife.

Ray and Janis Lindor were married Aug. 8, 1953, in Wahpeton, N.D. Ray proudly served his country in the armed forces as a sergeant in the U.S. Army Reserve.

After college, Ray began his tire career with Firestone Tire and Rubber Co. After 13 years of company sales and moving his family six times, he decided to make his family’s home in Warsaw.

He opened Monteith Tire in 1966. In 2002, the Monteith Tire Co. received the Dimensions of Excellence Business Award from the Chamber of Commerce.

Early on, he was president of the Lincoln School PTA, chairman of the 1971 United Fund Drive and one of the original board members of Riverwood Ranch (New Frontiers, Inc.) and Big Brother/Big Sisters.

The following year, Ray was named the Man of the Year, presented by the Chamber of Commerce. Ray had an enthusiasm and talent for tennis. In 1976, he partnered with Joe Beeson to bring indoor tennis to Warsaw with the Warsaw Racquet Club.

Ray was chairman of Primary Gifts for the Koscuisko Community Hospital Founders Fund Drive, and later on he was a board member of the K21 Foundation. Ray was a board member of the Warsaw Housing Authority, the Red Cross and InterComm Ministries.

He was a recipient of the Hearts of Gold Award in 2003. In the pursuit of higher education, he was honored to be a Grace College Trustee, an Ivy Tech Advisory Board member, and the Ivy Tech Capital Campaign Group.

He had a passion for young adults and created the seminar “Winners Build on the Basics” and had his last class July 5. Ray’s compassion for the Hispanic community led to the development and success of Sus Amigos.

He and his wife, Jan, have been members of the Warsaw Evangelical Presbyterian Church for more than 40 years, where Ray taught Sunday school, started the Presby Preschool and was a ruling elder and held the distinction of elder emeritus.

Ray never had the desire to retire and “didn’t.” He went to be with the Lord surrounded by his loving wife and children. Ray has said “When all is said and done, that he was pleased to have encouraged those around him.”

Survivors include his wife, Jan Monteith of Warsaw; two daughters, Mrs. Bill (Kerri) Gieris of Warsaw and Julie Monteith of Chicago; one son, Scott (wife, Lisa) of Indianapolis; four grandchildren, Michelle Fisher of Warsaw, Mrs. Brent (Jennifer) Rapsavage of Warsaw and Andrew and Lauren Monteith, both of Indianapolis; and two great-grandchildren, Ross and Alexa Rapsavage of Warsaw.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 3, at Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Warsaw; with the Revs. Ron Horgan and Bill Burd officiating. Burial at Oakwood Cemetery, Warsaw.

Visitation will be 3 to 7 p.m. today, Aug. 2, at the church. Memorials can be given to Warsaw Evangelical Presbyterian Church and Presby Pre-School, Sus Amigos and Intercom Ministries.

To sign the guestbook or send condolences electronically, go to mchattonsadlerfuneralchapels.com. McHatton-Sadler Funeral Chapel, Warsaw.

After having attended classes all day Wednesday, many Equip07 delegates and attenders moved to the cool shade of the picnic tables by the Russell Center on the campus of CE National for a picnic dinner Wednesday. After dinner they moved inside for the CEN corporation meeting and reports, followed by dessert.

The Russell Center on the CE National campus in Winona Lake, Indiana, was nicely filled Wednesday evening for the annual corporation meeting and activity reports. Pastor Steve Peters of West Milton, Ohio, chairman of the board for CEN, led the business meeting and CE National executive director Ed Lewis updated corporation members on activities during the previous year.

Jeff Bogue (center) director of the 412 Commission program of CE National, introduced Mike and Connie Pumphrey (brown shirts) as the new leaders of the program, which will be centered in Goshen, Indiana, this coming year. For more information, click on www.cenational.org.

The worship team from the Grace Brethren church in Goshen, Indiana, led by Jeremiah and Marcy Olson, led the worship time for the Wednesday night session of Equip07.

Pastor Jim Brown of the Grace Brethren church in Goshen, Indiana, is the incoming moderator of the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches, and he delivered the annual Moderator's Address in the Wednesday evening session of the Equip07 conference, held in the Orthopaedic Capital Center on the Grace College & Seminary campus in Winona Lake, Indiana. Brown's theme was evangelism

Dr. Roger Peugh (left), of the Grace College & Seminary faculty, was one of the BMH Books authors available to chat with friends and autograph copies of his book at last night's authors' autographing party. With him are Pastor Larry and Nancy Weber of the Grace Brethren Church in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania. Peugh is co-author, along with Dr. Tammy Schultz, of the BMH book Transformed in His Presence, the Need for Prayer in Counseling.

Dr. Homer and Beverly Kent (seated) shared photos of their wedding with guests at last night's BMH authors' autographing party on the plaza beside the BMH building. Dr. Kent is one of BMH Books' best-selling authors, and yesterday was the Kents' 54th wedding anniversary.

Dozens of friends joined 11 BMH authors on the plaza after Wednesday night's moderator's address session for cake and punch, fellowship, and the opportunity to chat and obtain copies of BMH books signed by the authors.

One of the special international guests at the Equip07 conference this year is Emmanuel Touaboy (right), who is ambassador from the Central African Republic to the United States.

Ambassador Touaboy is from a Grace Brethren background in the CAR and while in America is a member of the Lanham, Maryland, Grace Brethren Church, pastored by Paul Mutchler (left).

Ambassador Touaboy is also a candidate to join the board of Grace College & Seminary in Winona Lake, Indiana. There are approximately 1,200 Grace Brethren churches in the CAR.