Significant things are happening in children's ministry. We're coming to the last of six consecutive weeks of children's classes, so we know the children pretty well by now. They have brought lots of laughter during the summer! Please pray for the following:

• On Friday, July 20, a team that from our Hong Kong churches will share the gospel with the children. Please pray for a calm atmosphere and that the children will understand and respond to the gospel.
• On Saturday, July 21, we're having a VBS program for the children and their parents. Pray that the families will attend and will be open to the gospel.
• On Wednesday, July 25, we'll hand out bags of Christian materials to the families of our students. These materials are being bought with money given by children in the USA toward their VBS offerings. The materials include a book for each child, a Christian book on parenting for the parents, a Christian DVD for the whole family, and some small gifts. Pray that the families will read the materials and see that God can help to meet their family's needs.
• On Sunday, July 29, we're having a Children's Sunday at Living Stone Church. We'll invite the children from our English classes to perform during the worship service. We'll also have snacks afterwards so that our regular attenders can interact with the families. Pray that families will come and be drawn into the church family.

Huntington University broke ground for a new residence hall on July 12. Construction will be completed in time for the fall 2008 semester. The facility is designed to house 150 undergraduate students, mostly freshmen and sophomores.

The university’s current housing capacity is 718 beds, including residence halls, Forester Village apartments, and two campus-owned houses. During the 2006-2007 academic year, Huntington was at 93 percent of its housing capacity. For the 2008-2009 year, the university won't have enough housing for the number of students they expect.

The building, designed by the InterDesign Group, Inc., will sit across from Miller and Meadows halls with the front entrance facing Lake Street. It will have 154 beds, mostly for freshman and sophomore students, and will cost $6-7 million.

The general contractor is Fetters Construction Co. of Auburn, Ind., which also built the Science Hall and renovated Brenn Hall.

Mildred Griffin from Avlon UB church (Bremen, Ohio) passed away July 11. She was the mother of Jane Baker, who served as a missionary in Sierra Leone with her husband, Dr. Ron Baker. Mildred was well-known in the old Scioto Conference. She spent her latter years in a care facility in California.

Jennifer Blandin, UB missionary in Macau, sent these notes on June 17.

• Living Stone Church hosted an ELP Sunday service the end of May. Besides our students being invited to come, people already attending Living Stone were encouraged to bring friends. About 50 people attended! Two women, who had been attending the follow-up sessions for chapel, and one man who is a Christian but hadn't been to church in a while, came from the ELP Program! Plus, people from the church also brought friends and family!
• During the past ELP term, the staff and students took many opportunities to interact outside of class time. It helped to develop closer relationships, and the difference has shown.
• We held a final farewell party for Russ and Nellie Birdsall, who left last week. Over 60 people attended! One person I talked with thought only four or five people would come. : Sometimes we don't realize the impact we are making until the goodbyes. But investing in people's lives for Christ gives higher return than the Dow Jones could ever hope to!
• On July 1-4, the local staff and missionaries held a four-day retreat to Thailand.
• At the beginning of August, I will return to the States for my six-month furlough. My furlough was moved up a few months so I can attend fall classes and attend a few family events while I'm back. I have contacted some churches about speaking, but still have some empty time slots available, should you or your church like me to come and share about Macau and what goes on here. Also, while I'm in the States, I'll need some reliable transportation. If anyone has a car available, please let me know.

Daniel Drake has been appointed as supply pastor for the Olive Branch UB Church, Lakevile, Ind., effective June 24, 2007.

On Sunday, July 1, Franklin UB church (New Albany, Ohio) held its third annual Faith & Freedom Sunday. The purpose is to give thanks to God and recognize local citizens who have gone above and beyond the ordinary to support their country. It is also a time of recognition of the church's military veteran as America's birthday is celebrated.

This year an award of appreciation was given to members of Lima Company. Lima Company is a Columbus, Ohio, based Marine reserve infantry unit that was called to duty in the spring of 2005. In a period of just two months, 23 men were killed in action, and most of others in the unit were injured. The subject of a book, a movie, and national news, Lima Company came home in September 2005; many of the men carried scars that will last a lifetime.

Special invitations were sent out to area politicians, Proclamations and recognition were received from the offices of the Ohio governor and Columbus mayor, and an aide to Senator George Voinivich attended, along with many other local elected officials.
 
After the church service, members picnicked on an "All American" meal. Local media coverage was generous, with, newspapers and local CBS, ABC, and Fox news crews on hand to do stories for the evening news casts.

Jana Hoobler, missionary in Macau, sent this news update on June 27.

• The summer children's classes at Living Stone Church have gotten off to a good start. Many of the children have studied with us before, so I'm getting to know them and their parents better. Pray for wisdom in the best way to invite these families to attend church.
• Praise the Lord for several people from the church who are helping with children's ministry this summer. I appreciate the way God is providing help and support for me! Pray for the future of children's ministry at the church as I look for people to mentor in leadership in this area.
• My co-worker Michael is carrying a lot of extra responsibility at Living Stone this summer. He's spending a lot of time in sermon preparation, which is a fairly new opportunity for him. Pray for strength for him each week.
• Pray for Jimmy, a 5th grader who accepted Christ last summer at VBS. I invited him to help with some projects this summer, hoping it will provide opportunities to do follow-up with him spiritually. He's asking some thoughtful questions about God and Satan.

In some ways, I've gotten used to being surrounded by blatant idolatry in Macau...at least to whatever extent you "get used to" something like that. However, last week a piece of news just chilled me. A mummified human fetus was found on one of the altars at one of Macau's main temples. There are a lot of unanswered questions, but the idea of a baby being offered as a sacrifice just makes me ANGRY!!!! Also, in the past week two casino dealers in their 20s committed suicide after gambling their own money and losing it. This is becoming a fairly common occurance.

Pray for the city of Macau. I believe the Christian community here is growing, but I sometimes feel overwhelmed by the advancement of evil here, too. This past week Michael's sermon was on "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." He encouraged us to mourn the things that make God mourn...and I think much of what's happening here must make God mourn. Pray for spiritual strength for all Christians in Macau and that the influence of the church will grow.

On May 19, Huntington University awarded degrees to 200 students during Commencement Exercises. Four new programs at Huntington University saw their first graduates walk the aisle

• Marci Roller, an elementary teacher in Andrews, Ind., received the Master of Education degree. The program, begun in 2005, now enrolls 15-25 students each term.
• Six students received degrees in Social Work.
• One student, Jason Latino, received a degree in Digital Media arts. “Our goal is for students to be making films, images, and projects that will find their way out into the campus community and beyond,” says instructor Steve Leeper. “By the time a student graduates from the DMA program, there is every possibility that his or her work will already have established a presence on the Internet, in festivals, and even within the media industry. With the advent of the Internet, there are literally hundreds of venues available for digital media.”
• Jason Rahn and Matt Gerlach comprise the first graduating class of Recreation and Sport Ministry majors, a program started in 2004 which prepares students to plan, direct, and initiate church-based or community recreation programs and to use recreation and sports as a tool for outreach.

HU Board Chairman Ed Souers (left) and Dean of the College Norris Friesen (right) conduct the hooding ceremony for Roger Skinner.

Huntington University awarded four honorary degrees at its 2007 Commencement Exercises on May 19. Among them was Roger Skinner, a United Brethren endorsed missionary serving as USA executive director of OMS International. He was awarded a Doctor of Divinity degree for his long-time enablement of missionaries to serve around the world. He then delivered the Commencement address.

Skinner holds a degree in philosophy from Huntington University and a Master of Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He and his wife, Mary Lou, served as OMS missionaries in Ecuador from 1973-1995, initially in evangelism and churchplanting, and later at Evangelical bible Seminary and in a pastoral role. They returned to the US in 1995 to work at the OMS International headquarters in Greenwood, Ind., where they now live.

Previously, Roger Skinner received the Alumnus of the Year award from Huntington University and was inducted into the HU Athletic Hall of Fame.

Other honorary degrees went to:

• Homer Hiner, former president and CEO of Hiner Transport, and his wife Marjorie Hiner. They received a Doctor of Commercial Science.
• Dr. Carol a. Clark, who practices obstetrics and gynecology in Anderson, Ind., received the Doctor of Humane Letters degree.

Hillsdale, Mich., has the nation's only teenage mayor, which has earned him celebrity status. Mayor Michael Sessions (right) has appeared on Letterman, Good Morning America, etc. after winning election as a write-in candidate by two votes while still a high school senior. Now a 19-year-old freshman at Hillsdale College, Mayor Sessions accepted an invitation to the Dedication Service of the Ministry Office Center of the Hillsdale UB Church on Febuary 25. Bishop Ramsey was the keynote speaker before a congregation of over 300 who braved a winter storm despite the cancellation of services by several churches in Hillsdale County.
 
The Ministry Office Center was the result of a seven month renovation of the former parsonage next door to the church. Pastor Smith's new office is his former bedroom. The garage was enlarged and serves as a beautiful new classroom. All the staff have relocated to various rooms of the former house and the basement serves as a conference room. 

On Friend Day, March 25, Mayor Sessions returned to Hillsdale UB. Over 200 people in the first service witnessed the baptism of nine people. Over 300 attended the second service, which was followed with a "Friendship" potluck meal.

Olive Weaver (Rickersey), a former UB missionary in Sierra Leone, passed away on Friday, July 6, 2007. Olive's Christian commitment led her to many yeas of mission work in Sierra Leone and Australia, as well as to teaching elementary children in Fort Erie, Ontario.

Olive's husband, Tom, an Australian, passed away in 1996. Olive leaves behind four step-children and ten step-grandchildren.

The funeral will be held at 2 pm on Tuesday, July 10, at Grace UB Church in Sherkston, Ontario. Viewing will be Monday, 2-4 pm and 7-9 pm, at the Davidson Funeral Home (135 Clarence St., Port Colbourne, Ontario), and again on Tuesday 1-2 pm.