Lilly Grants Available for Indiana Congregations

Lilly Endowment: Clergy Renewal Program for Indiana Congregations

The Lilly Endowment, an Indianapolis-based private philanthropic foundation, seeks to strengthen congregations by providing an opportunity for pastors to step away briefly from the persistent obligations of daily parish life and to engage in a period of renewal and reflection.

Through the 2010 Clergy Renewal Program for Indiana Congregations, the endowment will provide up to forty grants of up to $50,000 directly to congregations for the support of a renewal program for their pastor. Up to $15,000 of the grant may be used to help the congregation fulfill pastoral duties during the pastor's absence and/or support activities that enable the congregation as a whole to be renewed in its ministry.

Clergy renewal programs may take many forms. No specific model is prescribed. Possible programs may include an uninterrupted period for reading and writing, directed research at a theological school, a study trip to religious sites or travel for other purposes in the United States or elsewhere in the world, quiet time for rest and prayer, or special visits with family and friends.

The program is open to congregations in Indiana that have an ordained pastor. The 2010 program is also open to support pastors who engaged in clergy renewal activities between 1999 and 2004.

Details: Clergy Renewal Program
Deadline: March 15, 2010

Pray for Steve Taylor, Hagerstown

The following urgent prayer request comes from Dr. Brent Sandy:

Steve Taylor (BS 94, MSM 96 from Grace), who was associate pastor with me in Roanoke and then followed me as senior pastor (Ghent church), has just learned that he has terminal cancer. He has been a hospice chaplain in the Hagerstown, MD, area for several years. Before that, he was vice-principal of a Christian high school. He’s married to Sue. They have no children.

A colonoscopy a couple of weeks ago led to immediate surgery, and they removed 8” of his colon. But the report from the oncologist is not good: his cancer is in stage 4 and has already spread to his liver. They will begin chemo, which may slow the progression of the cancer, but in most cases like his, life expectancy is 20 months.

Steve had cancer of the brain as a young child, from which God healed him. PTL! Let’s pray for another miracle of God’s grace.

Brent

P.S. His email is steve.taylor@juno.com.

Lee Dice With the Lord

Word has been received of the homegoing of longtime Grace Brethren pastor and AGBM secretary/coordinator Lee Dice. Here is information received so far. Further details will be posted when available.

Lee Dice went to be with Jesus last evening, Tuesday, Nov. 24th. The observances will be: Sunday, Nov. 29 visitation at Robert's Funeral Home, Wooster from 2-5 p.m. and the Memorial Service will be Monday, Nov. 30th at 11 a.m. at the Wooster Grace Church.

Obituary:

Pastor Lee H. Dice, 80, of Wooster, Ohio, went to be with his Lord on Tuesday, November 24 from his residence. Lee was born December 19, 1928 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa to Arling and Lila {Davis}Dice. He graduated with a B.S. degree from Iowa State College. He married Reva Ford on September 3, 1950.

He served in the US Army during the Korean War. Following the war, Lee found purpose, reason, and direction for life when he was saved in the Grace Brethren Church in Cedar Rapids. He then earned a Master of Divinity degree from the Grace Theological Seminary.

From 1962 to 1984 Lee served as Senior Pastor for Brethren Churches in Flora, IN, Philadelphia, PA, Indianapolis, IN, and Dillsburg, PA before serving as Seniors Pastor of the Wooster Grace Brethren Church from 1985 until his retirement in 1995. During his ministry, Lee focused on evangelism and missions.

Lee was state president of DeMoley in Iowa and had served as president of the Wooster Noon Lions Club. He enjoyed geneology, Bible study, and writing.

Lee will be deeply missed by his wife Reva, children Lou Ann Lawrence of New Oxford, PA and L. Scott Dice of York, PA.; grandchildren Ashley (Troy) McEvers, Molly VanLieu, Krystal and Katrina Dice and a great-grandson Isaiah McEvers.

A brother Richard Dice died previously.

Friends may call Sunday from 2 to 5 pm at the Roberts Funeral Home – Sherwood Chapel, Wooster. A celebration of life service will be Monday at 11am at the Wooster Grace Brethren Church with Pastors Bud Olszewski and David Lawson officiating. Burial will be at Sherwood Memorial Gardens Wooster.

Online tributes may be made at www.robertsfuneralhome.com. Memorial contributions may be made to Grace Brethren Church, Brethren Sharing Fund 4599-A. Burbank Rd, Wooster, OH 44691.

Certificates of Baptism Available at bmhbooks.com

It is now possible to order certificates of baptism on the BMH Books website. The certificates indicate baptism by trine immersion and come in packs of 50. One pack is available for $10.50.

Order now!

Prayer Requested for Russ Ogden

David Ogden in Sebring, Florida, sends the following news and prayer request for his dad, Dr. Russ Ogden, who is a longtime Grace Brethren pastor including the Lanham, MD, Grace Brethren church which he pastored from 1975 until 1993.

The Ogdens would appreciate your prayers for my dad, retired Grace Brethren pastor Russ Ogden. He spent the night at an emergency room in Indianapolis -- Monday night / Tuesday morning.

They expect he had another T.I.A. ("mini-stroke") as he did a couple years ago. His speech was confused Monday evening and my mom called a neighbor (a male nurse who has been very helpful) to come over. He immediately drove them to the hospital.

By 8 a.m., when I spoke to my mom, Dad's thinking and speech had cleared up completely and the medical staff were preparing him for a precautionary M.R.I. before releasing him to go home.

Please pray for both my dad and my mom (they're both 84 -- until November 30, when my dad will celebrate his 85th birthday)

Christian Becker's Mother With the Lord

Christian Becker, pastor of the First Brethren Church in Buena Vista, Virginia, has sent notification of his mother's homegoing. Here is Christian's note:

As you may have heard, my mom had a major stroke on Wednesday that caused massive bleeding and swelling in her brain. She passed peacefully on Thursday afternoon into the Lord's presence.

Thanks to all who prayed for my family.

Here's the link to mom's obituary.

www.northeastobits.com/posts.cfm?obit=30678

Rick Clark's Mother With the Lord

Word has been received of the death of Patricia Bush, mother of Rick Clark, former pastor of the Pike Grace Brethren Church in Johnstown, Pa.

Rick writes: My mother fell 2 weeks ago and broke her neck. She was a quadriplegic. She had many challenges ahead. Tuesday morning (November 3) she went home to be with the Lord. She grew up and was saved and baptized at the Vicksburg GBC and was a member for many years at Leamersville GBC when my brothers and I were growing up.

The viewing will be Friday (November 6) from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. at Leslie-Miller Funeral home in Claysburg and the funeral will be at the Greenfield UCC church in Imler at 11 a.m. Saturday, November 7.

To see her complete obituary from the Altoona Mirror, click here.

Mother of Dan Ramsey, Nancy Kennedy, Dies

Sympathies are expressed to Grace Brethren pastor Dan Ramsey (Grace Church, Loveland, Ohio) and Nancy Kennedy, wife of Pastor Dave Kennedy (Community of Grace, Richmond, Va.) on the death of their mother, Virginia Lois Ramsey, of Cincinnati, Ohio, a long-time member of the Grace Brethren Church, Canton, Ohio.

She is also survived by her husband, Richard, of Cincinnati, and another daughter, Ann (Andrew) Ramsey-Moor of Ellicott City, Md.; seven grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and brothers Harvey Lesh Jr. of Maine and Don Lesh of North Carolina.

Services were held October 29 at the Grace Brethren Church in Canton, Ohio.