Todd Scoles Moving to Marysville Church

Dr. Todd Scoles (right), who has been serving as the Senior Associate Pastor at the Northwest Chapel Grace Brethren Church in Dublin, Ohio (Terry Hofecker, pastor) since June of 2001, is concluding his ministry with the Dublin church this week.

After some time off this summer for consulting and a variety of ministries, Scoles will become an associate with the Marysville Grace Brethren Church in Marysville, Ohio, a young church recently planted under the direction of Pastor Clancy Cruise.

Scoles, who will teach a course in Grace Brethren History and Distinctives at Equip07 this summer, says, "I'm glad to be remaining in the NCO District and am excited to work with Clancy Cruise in an exciting outreach to the Marysville community."

Scoles is also chairman of the board of the Brethren Missionary Herald Co. and will chair the BMH corporate meeting the first night of Equip07 on Sunday, July 29, at 7 p.m. in Winona Lake, Indiana.

Richard Bell Health Update

Here is an update on Richard Bell, pastor of the Apple Valley Community Church, a Grace Brethren church in Winchester, Virginia, who was diagnosed in October with mantle cell lymphoma. His wife, Nancy, gives the following as an update and a prayer request:

Richard signed the paper to be a part of the lymphoma experimental study at Johns Hopkins. The study is to see how long this particular chemo can keep the lymphoma from coming back over a two-year period.

There is no cure for mantle cell lymphoma at this time. Now we are waiting for a schedule for the pre-testing that has to be done to see if they will go ahead with the chemo or not.

They will test a lot of areas to see if his body can withstand the poisoning. If he doesn't pass all of the criteria they won't start the chemo.

I appreciate your prayers.

Nancy

AGBM Pre-Conference Newsletter Now Arriving

The Summer, 2007, issue of "Sharpening One Another," the hard-copy newsletter of the Association of Grace Brethren Ministers, is arriving in mailboxes of members this week.

The front-page article by AGBM president Joel Richards contains a reminder of the annual meeting of the AGBM, which will be at 4 p.m. Sunday, July 29, 2007, in the sanctuary of the Winona Lake Grace Brethren Church at 1200 Kings Highway, Winona Lake, Indiana.

AGBM members are also reminded that annual dues of $100 per minister were due at the end of May (checks made payable to AGBM and mailed to P.O. Box 694, Winona Lake, Indiana 46590).

Please pray for the AGBM's new board of directors as they meet on Saturday, July 28, to move along the agenda and important issues pertaining to the Association.

Youth Workers on the Move

The following youth pastor/youthworker updates were taken from a newsletter distributed by CE National:

- Chris Brenneman is the new Youth Pastor at Grace Brethren Church in New Holland, Pennsylvania.
- Brian Mayes is the new Youth Pastor at the Brookville Grace Brethren Church in Brookville, Ohio.
- David Nicodemus has resigned from Gateway Grace Community Church in Parkesburg, Pennsylvania.
- Doug Kegaraise is the Youth Pastor at Grace Brethren Church in Lititz, Pennsylvania and Andy Brightbill has moved to Associate Pastor.
- Troy Seyfert has resigned from Richmond, Virginia to go to Northpointe Community Church in DeWitt, Michigan. (Ed Short is the Senior Pastor)
- Kevin Lilly has resigned from Community Grace Brethren Church in Warsaw, Indiana.
- Brad Deetscreek has resigned from Pike Grace Brethren Church in Johnstown, Pennsylvania to become Youth Pastor at Grace Church-North Campus, Akron, Ohio.
- Kevin Ibanez has accepted a position overseeing family life ministries at Flipside Church in Rancho Cucamonga, California.
- Adam Johnson is serving as the Youth Pastor at Meyersdale Grace Brethren Church in Meyersdale, Pennsylvania.
- Lee Strappello is the Interim Youth Pastor at Martinsburg Grace Brethren Church in Martinsburg, Pennsylvania.
- Mallory Nixon has resigned from the Strongsville, Ohio, Grace Brethren Church and is a volunteer overseeing junior high ministry at Grace Church-North Campus, Akron, Ohio.
- Mike and Connie Pumphrey will be coordinating the 412 Commission program this fall for CE National which will be held at Grace Community Church in Goshen, Indiana.
- Nathan Wells is helping to plant a church using young people while he is overseeing youth ministries at Ashland Grace Brethren Church, Ashland, Ohio.
- Rich Yauger and his wife Carol recently had a baby boy and Rich continues to go through treatment for lymphoma cancer.
- Brent Saba is raising financial support to help oversee training at the Urban Hope Training Center in Philadelphia. Part of his responsibilities will be youth.

Update on Gary Austin's Recovery

Gary Austin sends along an update regarding his recovery from surgery for colorectal cancer. Gary is pastor of the Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Grace Brethren Church.

I was able to get out to church for the first time since May 6. Didn't do much - and sitting was not easy. We had dinner with Jerry Young and his wife at Ruby Tuesdays. Jerry is a retired GBC pastor that travels across the country with the purpose of encouraging other pastors. It was a good visit. I slept allot Sunday afternoon; then walked over a mile that evening after it had cooled down some.

Last week was one of those weeks where we took one step forward and then two steps back. However, I think we made up those two steps over the weekend. We have no doctor appointments this week - but next week we start evaluating whether or not to have the ostemy reversed. I'm off the catheter and doing ok.

Just wanted to give you a quick update on what's happening here. I'm still working through fatigue, finishing an antibiotic treatment for bladder infection, and trying to pace myself so I don't get worn out so quickly and yet don't sleep all the time.

Thank you for your continuing prayers. Drop us a line when you can, please.

GBIM Seeks Recruitment Coordinator

Could God use you to build Grace Brethren International Mission’s team? Do you have strong skills in communication, motivation and relationships? Could you encourage and disciple people as they prepare for ministry?

Grace Brethren International Missions (GBIM) is seeking the right person to become our Recruitment Coordinator, to coordinate our activities to recruit new missionaries, people God has called to take the church where it is needed most. Click here to see the full ministry description.

For more information see the GBIM web site (www.gbim.org) or e-mail or call Joan Hoke: jhoke@GBIM.org or 574-268-1888, extension 21.

Neil Cole to Lead Workshops in Ohio

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 Ohio this summer. The sessions will focus on leadership in the organic church.

Saturday July 14, Columbus, Ohio
Organic Leadership: Rediscovering Biblical Leadership for Organic Churches

Sunday July 15, Dayton, Ohio
4/11 Leadership Team: Ephesians 4:11 Discoveries & Applications to Organic Church Movements

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

Dallas Center Grace Seeks Youth Pastor

Grace Church of Dallas Center, a Grace Brethren church in Iowa, is currently receiving resumes for the position of youth Pastor. We are looking for a dedicated and called individual to shepherd our Seventh through Twelfth Grade Students. We are looking for leadership, mentor-ship, discipleship, relationship and energy from someone who can take responsibility for managing an effective youth ministry. In summary, we are looking for someone to teach students to "do life" with Jesus Christ by demonstrating this personally - speaking into their lives through personal relationships, meeting them where they are, challenging them to go where they have never been, engaging in relevant topics and providing a trusting environment where discipleship and accountability can occur. Send your resume to the attention of Roger Fry at jobs@dallascentergrace.com. A detailed description of the position will be forwarded upon request.

Martinsburg, Pa., Seeks Youth Pastor

Martinsburg (Pa.) Grace Brethren Church seeks a dynamic youth pastor to direct their youth ministry and youth leadership team.

Candidates should have a tremendous heart for teens and their families, excellent speaking and relational skills, strong administrative abilities, and previous youth ministry experience.

Interested candidates should submit a resume and a videotape of a teaching presentation to Mark Fluke, Head of the Search Committee, Martinsburg Grace Brethren Church, 300 S. Mulberry Street, Martinsburg, PA 16662.Phone: (814) 793-3272e-mail: mfluke2003@yahoo.com

Troy Seyfert Resigns at Winchester, Va.

Troy Seyfert, youth pastor at Blue Ridge Grace Brethren Church in Winchester, Va., has resigned from his position. His last Sunday will be June 10. He and his wife will be moving to DeWitt, Mich. (Lansing area) at the end of the month, where he will become the pastor of student ministries at Northpointe Community Church (serving under Senior Pastor Ed Short, a Grace Theological Seminary graduate).

Kip Cone to Join WLGBC Staff

Kip Cone (pictured at right) is leaving his ministry at Grace Brethren International Missions to join the pastoral staff of the Winona Lake (Ind.) Grace Brethren Church (WLGBC), where Bruce Barlow is the lead pastor.

Kip has been a part of the preaching team for the past year (as a volunteer). His teaching has been used in a powerful way to strengthen the church.

Kip has long been associated with GBIM. In 1993, while still a student at Grace Theologial Seminary, he served as staff writer. In 1995 Kip and wife Mary were commissioned by his home church and GBIM to be part of a team that would open a new ministry in Berlin, Germany. In 2005 the Cones returned to the USA and Kip joined GBIM’s recruitment department, specializing in Short Term ministries.

To learn more, click here.

Update on Gary Austin's Recovery

Jean Austin sends along an update regarding Gary's recovery from surgery for colorectal cancer. Gary Austin is pastor of the Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Grace Brethren Church.

Thank you for praying. Gary's recovery is very slow. He is eating well, walking twice a day and sleeping well, but strength is slow to return. He is still having residual surgical pain. We have been advised to take one day at a time and to celebrate each little accomplishment. Please keep remembering him in prayer.