Pastoral Changes and News
Grace College and Seminary Receive $250,000 Grant
Church Merge
Hawkins Reissues Book on Marriage
Richmond Marks 40th Anniversary
With the Lord
– Mary Lois Miller
– Wayne Guthrie
– Mary Anna Meyer
– Minnie Elizabeth Mensinger
Pastoral Changes and News
At Lititz Grace Brethren Church (Pennsylvania), Andy Brightbillhas been named Pastor of Connections, with responsibilities for adult ministries and pastoral oversight of the children’s and youth ministries.
Doug Kegarisehas been named Director of Student Ministries, also at the Lititz Grace Brethren Church.
Matt Carter has joined the staff of the Wooster (Ohio) Grace Brethren Church. As Director of Contemporary Worship, he will provide leadership for two contemporary worship services which are held in the church’s Family Center.
Pastor Lee Friesen of the Grace Brethren Church of Brooksville, Florida, announced he will be retiring May 31, 2007. After almost 11 years at Brooksville, he and his wife plan to move to Ashland, Ohio, to be near his son who is a medical doctor there.
After 28 years as pastor of the North Riverdale (Ohio) Grace Brethren Church, Tad Hobert concluded his ministry there on February 4. The church honored him and his wife, Vivienne, with a gift of cash, flowers, and a beautiful platter. Tad has begun as pastor of the Donnels Creek Church of the Brethren in North Hampton, Ohio, but plans to keep his ministerial credentials with the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches
Dave Holmes has been named Associate Pastor of Youth at the Centerville (Ohio) Grace Brethren Church. He graduated from Grace College in 2003 and graduated with honors from Grace Seminary in 2005, receiving both the Alva J. McClain Award in Systematic Theology and the Faculty Award.
Jim Laird is the new pastor at Grace Church, the Grace Brethren church in Marietta, Ga. He will serve as senior pastor after having served in the same capacity in Martinsburg, Pa. for the last sixteen years. Jim began his ministry on January 28.
Dan Thornton, who is currently on sabbatical leave as pastor of the Peninsula Grace Brethren Church of Soldotna, Alaska, is concluding his ministry at the Soldotna church. He plans to stay in the area several years, working on a doctoral degree, until his son, Michael, graduates from high school, then will look for God’s leading for the next ministry.
Thornton is currently the vice chair of the board of the Brethren Missionary Herald Company, having previously served a number of years chairing the board. He will continue as a member of the BMH board.
Grace College and Seminary Receive $250,000 Grant
Grace College and Seminary, Winona Lake, Ind., has received a $250,000 grant from the Fred C. and Katherine B. Andersen Foundation of Bayport, Minn. The Andersens were affiliated with Andersen Windows. The unrestricted grant is given to educational institutions that do not accept state and federal funding (with the exception of financial aid granted to students) for any purpose. Grace has been the recipient of an annual grant from the Andersen Foundation since 1978.
Church Merge
Crossroads-Wissinoming Grace Brethren Church near Philadelphia, Pa., has merged with its mother church. The Wissinoming congregation held its last service on November 26 and began meeting with Crossroads Grace Brethren Church – Frankford the following Sunday. Bob Pearson, the pastor at Wissinoming, is serving as the associate pastor to Frankford’s Mark Ritzman.
Hawkins Reissues Book on Marriage
Retired Grace Brethren pastor Gilbert Hawkins has recently re-issued an enlarged and revised edition of his paperback book, Marriage Lasts a Lifetime. Assisting him in the project was his granddaughter, Heather Barrett, a junior in business and marketing at Indiana Wesleyan University, who typed and edited the manuscript.
The 120-page book is comprised of five chapters: “God’s Plan for Marriage,” “God’s Condemnation of Divorce and Remarriage,” “God’s Plan for Church Leadership,” “Author’s Suggestions for Church People and Families,” and “Author’s Closing Thoughts.”
Hawkins, a graduate of Multnomah School of the Bible and of Grace College and Grace Theological Seminary, pastored churches in Oregon, Michigan, Nebraska, and Iowa. He also served as an instructor at New Tribes Bible Institute in Jackson, Mich., and at Jackson Community College and at Southern Michigan State Prison.
The book sells for $8.95 and is available from Hawkins at Gibros1@localnet.com or by calling (574) 269-4091.
Richmond Marks 40th Anniversary
The Community of Grace (formerly Richmond Grace Brethren Church) in Richmond, Va. celebrated their 40th anniversary on January 21 with a special service and fellowship dinner. Two couples, John and Mildred Harris, and Charlie and Loretta Staton, were honored for being a part of the congregation for 39 and 38 years respectively. David Kennedy is the current pastor of the church.
With the Lord
Mary Lois Miller,73, former Grace Brethren missionary to the Central African Republic, died January 3 at her home in Juniata, Pa.
She was born in Altoona, Pa., daughter of the late I. Emory and Lucinda Jane (Brumbaugh) Miller. Surviving are a cousin, John Hillard, as well as many other cousins.
Lois served in the African mission field for 25 years, after which she was employed as a registered nurse and midwife at Lewistown Hospital. A member of Altoona Grace Brethren Church, she was active in the Women’s Missionary Society.
She was a graduate of Altoona High School and West Suburban Nursing School in Illinois. She studied midwifery in Kentucky and was a graduate of Wheaton College and Grace Theological Seminary, where she studied missions.
Services were held January 5 in Juniata with Pastor Rod Lingenfelter officiating. Interment was at Brumbaugh Cemetery.
Wayne Guthrie, former bookkeeper for the Brethren Missionary Herald Company, Winona Lake, Ind. died January 29, 2007 in Costa Mesa, Calif. at the age of 92. Guthrie joined the staff of BMH in 1958 and retired in 1976. For the last 20 years, he had resided with his niece, Jean Loback. He was cremated. In the spring, graveside services will be held in Ankenytown, Ohio, where he grew up. In addition to Mrs. Loback, he is survived by several other nieces and by Robert Burk, of Michigan, whom he helped raise.
Mary Anna Meyer, 88, died Thursday, December 14, 2006. She was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. Nathan M. Meyer, three siblings, and two great grandchildren. She is survived by a daughter, Joan Keane, a son Paul (and wife, Sharon) Meyer; six grandchildren; and seven great grandchildren.
A memorial service was held at the Grace Brethren Worship Center in Westerville, Ohio, on December 20, 2006 and was preceded by her burial on December 18 at the Mt. Laurel Church of God Cemetery, in Piketown, Pa.
Minnie Elizabeth Mensinger, 94, died December 22, 2006 in Kalamazoo, Mich. She was the mother of Eddie Mensinger, who with his wife, Linda, recently retired from a lifetime of service as Grace Brethren International Missions missionaries in the Central African Republic.
In addition Eddie and Linda, who live in Portland, Ore., survivors include Judy (and husband, Gregory) Schei of Gobles, Mich., Robert (and wife, Lila) Mensinger of New Troy, Mich., David (and wife, Mary Ann) Mensinger of Three Oaks, Mich., and Wayne (and wife, Abby) Mensinger of Cumberland, Md.; eight grandchildren; and ten great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Benjamin Mensinger, who died in 1974; by one daughter, Carol Mensinger in 1994; one grandson; four brothers, and one sister.