Milestones
At Grace Church, a Grace Brethren church in Lititz, Pa., Tim Auld, who had been serving in a spiritual formation role, has shifted to executive pastor. He is responsible for the day-to-day oversight of ministries of the church. Steve Burghart has been named pastor of connections.
Ron Boehm has joined VisionOhio, a movement of Grace Brethren churches, organizations, and people committed to multiplying disciples for Jesus Christ by planting Grace Brethren churches in Ohio. He will be working with leadership cooperation, fundraising, coaching, and assessment. His wife, Chery, will minister to wives of pastors and church planters. VisionOhio has provisional status as a Cooperating Ministry in the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches.
Jeremy Byng has joined the staff of Grace Community Church, a Grace Brethren church in Goshen, Ind. as the Next Gen pastor, as the church begins a new ministry to reach out to residents ages 18 to 28.
Jim Folsom is the new communications officer for Grace Brethren International Missions.
Jeremy Norton has joined the Peninsula Grace Brethren Church, Soldotna, Alaska, as youth pastor.
Retired Grace Brethren pastor Russ Ogden recently received a Ph.D. in Religious Studies from Trinity Theological Seminary, Evansville, Ind. His dissertation was Michael Behe’s Concept of Irreducible Complexity: the Microbiological Challenge to Darwinian Evolution.
Sean Spoelstra was ordained on October 12 at the Powell, Ohio, Grace Brethren Church. He is leading Encounter Church, a new Grace Brethren church plant in Jerome Township (Dublin), Ohio, which has been initiated by the Powell congregation.
Kudos
Olympic silver medalist Tim Hutten was honored at his home church, Grace Community Church, a Grace Brethren church in Seal Beach, Calif. (Don Shoemaker, pastor), on Sunday, September 14. Tim was part of the U.S. Men’s Water Polo team at the 2008 Bejing Olympics. Sometimes a watchful eye could see his mother, Cindy Hutton-Eagle, cheering for the team from the stands. Tim has since traveled to Greece to pursue a professional water polo career. He will continue to train for the 2012 London Olympics.
In Memoriam
Clarence David Bogue, 74, of Wadsworth, Ohio, died September 18, 2008. He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Phyllis; his children M. Dave Bogue (Elaine), pastor of the Upper Arlington Grace Brethren Church in Columbus, Ohio, Susan Dennerlein (Brian), Sharon Key (Eric), and Jeff Bogue (Heidi), pastor at Grace Church North, a Grace Brethren church in Akron, Ohio, and his 12 grandchildren. To read his complete obituary, click here.
Vernon Harris died September 12, 2008 at the age of 87. Pastor Harris served for 54 years in the local Grace Brethren churches, including Clayton, Ohio; Portland, Ore.; Roanoke, Va.; Akron (Fairlawn), Ohio; Philadelphia (First), Pa.; Lancaster (Rohrerstown), Pa.; and Lancaster (Southern Lancaster-now, GBC at Willow Valley), Pa. Following retirement, he also served in associate roles at the Grace Brethren Church of New Holland, Pa., and Gateway Grace Community Church, a Grace Brethren church in Parkesburg, Pa. He is survived by his wife, Glyn; children: Ron, Ramah Lee Stewart, Roy, Ruth Blake, and Randy, who live in Texas, California, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Illinois, respectively, 15 grandchildren, and four great grandchildren. A son, Rudy, preceded him in death. To read his complete obituary, click here.
