United News: September - October 2006

On Aug. 8, UCG president Clyde Kilough, Ministerial Services operation manager Jim Franks and education programs director David Register presented a new focus for education programs to the Council of Elders.

Aug. 13, the largest class yet graduated from Ambassador Bible Center.

Many members who are unable to attend the Ambassador Bible Center program have expressed an interest in listening to recordings of the classes.

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On July 15, 37 members of the Houston, Texas, South Silver Ambassadors enjoyed fellowship and a luncheon before services.

Camp Tomahawk, held July 23 to 27 in Eva, Tennessee, filled to maximum capacity this year with 66 smiling campers, 24 inspiring teen leaders and 55 enthusiastic staff members, representing 15 different states in all!

Participants will backpack in California's Sespe Wilderness Dec. 25 to 29.

Beginning in 2000 the United Youth Camps (UYC) have been visited by volunteers from the American Camp Association (ACA) sections every three years and scored using the approved standards in 10 major areas—from site and food service to operational management...

An ABC Continuing Education seminar is planned for Calgary, Alberta, on Nov. 11 and 12 (Remembrance Day weekend).

From Aug. 2 to 7, 14 children and nine adults from Belgium, France, Germany and Switzerland attended summer camp at the hostel Naturfreundehaus in Oerlinghausen, Germany.

The Ruston, Louisiana, UCG Teen-Plus group and friends traveled to western Arkansas for the weekend of July 14 to 16.

On the weekend of Aug. 20 and 21, the Milwaukee, Wisconsin, congregation had its first marriage seminar.

Clyde Kilough was selected by the Council of Elders in May of 2005 to serve as president of the United Church of God, an International Association, and moved with his wife, Dee, to Cincinnati to assume those responsibilities on July...

From July through August, more than 54.5 million searchers looking for information about the crisis in the Middle East saw a link to an ad for our booklet The Middle East in Bible Prophecy appear on their computer screens.

Attention all singers and musicians attending the Feast in Regina, Saskatchewan: If you would like to sing in the choir, play an instrument or present special music, please contact Wil Berg at wberg@dteworld.com or (307) 455-2432 or P.O. Box 1379...

Before they even got on the plane, the six Youth Corps volunteers (Laura Beth Childers, Zachary Smith, Francesca Nixon, Mark Mirigian, Michal Lisa Capo and Kirsten Korthuis) headed to Ghana's annual summer camp were learning some serious lessons about the...

On the Sabbath of June 24 the Oakland, California, congregation began a program intended to encourage our young people as they accomplish a hallmark of their lives.

On July 30, Ambassador Bible Center students raised a record $5,325 during their year-end charity fund-raiser.

We really had a fantastic year at Camp Davidson in Oregon, with a super staff and amazing mix of campers and dorms!

A new aspect of the United Church of God's education efforts involves guided, organized visits to international sites with a specific focus on the biblical record and prophecy.

The Jamaica Feast site is full and is closed to further transfers.

André van Belkum, chairman of United Church of God, Southern Africa, gave the following report to the Southern African National Council Aug. 27.

In the first half of July, brethren from the Asheboro, Charlotte, Kinston and Raleigh, North Carolina, congregations participated in putting together mailing packages for Good News subscribers.

Two members, Oran Ogle and Arthur Ziesch, were honored by the Kansas City, Kansas, congregation for having been members of God's Church for 50 or more years.

"Camp Heritage–11th Edition" wrapped up Sunday, Aug. 21, as 141 campers and 68 staff members said good-bye for another year to their "home away from home" near Farmington, Pennsylvania.

Several ordinations took place on Pentecost during a combined service with the St. Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota, and the Eau Claire, Wisconsin, congregations.

The 12th annual United Youth Winter Camp will be held from Wednesday, Dec. 27, through Monday, Jan. 1, 2007.

Richard and Mary Pinelli and Lyle Welty traveled from Cincinnati, Ohio, to Manchester, England, to hold a leadership training program Aug. 24 to 29.

Mary Ann Miller, a member of the Cambridge, Ohio, congregation, was recently awarded a Fulbright grant to spend the 2006-2007 academic year conducting research in Bern, Switzerland.

Six Houston, Texas, North teens, Cameron Bounds, Preston Buchanan, Matt Curry, Ethan Doig, Brian Koester and Steve Stegent, who comprise the band, Loadstone, were granted the opportunity to play in the Woodlands (a suburb of Houston), Texas, July 4th parade.

The end of July in Fort Worth, Texas, is always hot, and this year was no exception.

The United Church of God is aware of the increasing sensitivities and allergies to fragrances affecting our members and society in general.

All ABC Chorale alumni who will be attending the Winter Family Weekend in Louisville, Kentucky, Dec. 22 to 26, are encouraged to contact Kenneth Shoemaker as soon as possible.

Fund-raisers to help brethren in El Salvador attend the Feast of Tabernacles have been sponsored by members of the Isle of Man congregation.

The Wheeling, West Virginia, congregation hosted the third annual Bluegrass Family Fun Weekend from July 20 to 23.

The Youngstown, Ohio, congregation surprised their pastor and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. David Myers, with a 25th wedding anniversary celebration on May 13, 2006.

The Council of Elders met Aug. 4 to 9 for its regular quarterly meeting.

The 10th year for the Teton Challenger Camp was in many respects the best so far.

Chris Stewart, a 2006 ABC graduate, was hired to work full-time in the Information Technology area of the home office, where he worked part-time during ABC.

Two new Good News "take one" subscription brochures are now available for distribution by our brethren in the United States.

Incoming mail in the Canadian office is setting new records.

The Asheboro, North Carolina, congregation enjoyed the service of its youth on June 24, 2006.

The San Antonio congregation is blessed with many positive role models of strong marriages, but none surpass the examples set for us this year by three couples.

Aug. 7 Chairman Bob Dick directed the Council in a discussion on the topic of strategic planning.

This has been an amazing year for ABC student Mariet Horjus from South Africa, who turned 80 in January.

Ministerial Services announced the hiring of three elders into the full-time ministry of the United Church of God.

Calendar of Events

The spectacular outdoors of southeastern Minnesota was the setting for the North Central Region Preteen Youth Camp from July 25 to 28.

The Denver, Colorado, congregation commemorated its 50th anniversary on Aug. 5.

Congratulations to More High School Graduates