A look back at the months of May and June in the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches.
Twenty Years Ago – 1987
– Newly-appointed missionaries with Grace Brethren Foreign Missions included Dave and Sue Guiles and Steve and Wilma Bailey, Argentina; Tom and Sue Peters, Central African Republic (CAR); Paul and Louise Klawitter and Mark and Joy Sims, France.
– David Manges was ordained to the ministry at the Chambersburg, Pa., Grace Brethren Church.
Thirty Years Ago – 1977
– Bob Divine was ordained to the ministry at the Ireland Road Grace Brethren Church in South Bend, Ind.
– Grace College graduates: Elizabeth Cutler, Jonathon Hall, Jim Hocking, Kathy Manduka, and Viki (Cover) Rife. Grace Theological Seminary grads: Carl Baker, Larry Edwards, Dave Mitchell, Pierre Yougouda (CAR), Gary Austin, and Paulette Sauders. James Custer received a Th.M. degree.
Thirty-Five Years Ago – 1972
– Michael (Mick) Rockafellow accepted call to pastor Flora, Ind., Grace Brethren Church following graduation from Grace Theological Seminary. Galen Lingenfelter began as pastor of Ft. Wayne, Ind. Grace Brethren Church.
– A new congregation was organized as the Hope Grace Brethren Church in Dillsburg, Pa., Kenneth Wilt, pastor.
– The Waynesboro, Pa. Grace Brethren Church dedicated its new sanctuary on April 30. Wendell Kent, pastor.
– Grace College graduates included: Tad Hobert, Judy Herman, Tim Waggoner, Dan White, Joan Lesh, and Wayne Hannah. Seminary grads: Michael Rockafellow, John Teevan, and Ron Weimer.
Forty Years Ago – 1967
– The New Scofield Reference Bible was presented on April 13. Honored as one of the revision committee was Dr. Alva J. McClain, founder and president of Grace Theological Seminary.
– The Northern Ohio District was divided into the Northeastern Ohio (13 churches) and the Northcentral Ohio (14 churches) districts.
– Jesse Deloe resigned as pastor at the Lyndhurst Grace Brethren Church (Ohio) to assume the pastorate of the North Riverdale Brethren Church, Dayton, Ohio.
– Grace College graduates: Bill and Joan (Herr) Darr, Mike Grill, Bernie Simmons, Charlotte Poyner. From the Seminary: Tim Farner, Don Farner, and Bob Moeller. John Davis received a Th.D. degree.
Forty-Five Years Ago – 1962
– Herman A. Hoyt was selected as the second president of Grace Schools, succeeding Alva J. McClain. Hoyt, along with McClain, was one of the founders of Grace Theological Seminary.
– Succeeding Hoyt as deans of the seminary and college were Homer Kent, Jr. and E. William Male, respectively.
– Bob Griffith became pastor of the First Brethren Church of Philadelphia on June 24.
– Among the Grace Seminary graduates, Class of 1962: John Davis, Ed Mensinger, Ron Henry, Ken Koontz, Jim Nesbitt, Randy Poyner, and Mike Volovski.
– James Custer, a Grace Seminary middler, was called as summer associate pastor at Wooster, Ohio, where Kenneth Ashman was pastor.
Fifty-five Years Ago – 1952
– Among the Grace Seminary graduates in the class of 1952 were: Ralph Burns, John Dilling, Martin Garber, Lester Kennedy, Gail Jones, Bill Smith, and Lynn Schrock. Homer Kent, Jr. received a Th.M. degree, while Robert Culver received a Th.D. degree.
– On April 30, the Whittier (Calif.) Community Grace Brethren Church was dedicated. Wayne Flory, pastor.
– Evangelist Bill Smith was ordained to the ministry in the Washington, D.C. church on June 22.
– Ralph Burns, freshly graduated from Grace Seminary, became pastor of the Clay City, Ind., Brethren Church.
Sixty Years Ago – 1947
– Homer A. Kent, Jr. was awarded the Scholarship Medal at Bob Jones College for the second time, acknowledging the highest grade average.
– Lester Pifer a 1947 graduate of Grace Theological Seminary, was ordained to the ministry at the Fremont, Ohio, Grace Brethren Church.
– On March 20, the West Kittanning, Pa. Grace Brethren Church was dedicated. Arthur Malles, pastor.
Sixty-five Years Ago – 1942
– Florence Gribble, a pioneer missionary to French Equatorial Africa (now the Central African Republic), died.