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Tuesday, 31 August 2010 23:00
It's A New Day! Reflections on the Family Reunion I met some of my best friends in life, especially my husband, because of the Grace Brethren church. Not only did I develop relationships with people in the congregations where I worshiped, I connected with individuals through district camps, Brethren National Youth Conferences, at Grace College, and the annual conference for the FGBC. Those are all marked with memories of speakers, quizzing, and NAC competition. Some of my dearest friends in the fellowship today are individuals I fi rst met at youth conference, prayed for their missionary parents who were working in a far-off land, or sat next to in a college class. That’s why I love attending conference. It’s been called a family reunion because that is what it is – not only are we brothers and sisters in the faith, but we share a common history, a bond that is marked by memories of a college-aged Ed Lewis playing the piano with gusto in the old Lancer gym or Jim Custer teaching about demons to a McClain Hall auditorium fi lled with spell-bound teens. We’ve washed each other’s feet on the beach in Florida, enjoyed communion in Columbus, and been challenged in Montreal to begin new churches. We’re committed to the Bible, the whole Bible, and nothing but the Bible. Each conference is unique and this year was no exception. Th e pages of this magazine will give you a glimpse of two separate, yet distinctive gatherings of the Grace Brethren this summer. At Momentum in Cedarville, Ohio, teens were challenged to lay down their lives and serve others. At Celebrate ’10 in Cincinnati, Ohio, adults were asked to consider the future of our network of churches – how do we maintain the scripturally-sound, culturallyrelevant church that has come to typify the FGBC, while moving ahead together for the kingdom? For the first time, both conferences came together for “We Care Miami Valley,” sharing Christ’s love with the people of the greater Dayton area and beyond, through outreach events and acts of caring around the region. But you’ll read about more than just conferences in this issue. New churches are the lifeblood of our future, taking the gospel to the unreached people of North America. No one, in my mind, typifies church planting in our fellowship better than Lester Pifer, the long-retired church planting executive for our fellowship. He turned 90 years old this year and is still sharing the gospel and encouraging young men while serving as a staff pastor in Columbus, Ohio. You’ll read his story on page 8. C.S. Lewis once remarked, “Is any pleasure on earth as great as a circle of Christian friends by a fire?” I feel that way when I’ve been with a few of my Grace Brethren colleagues, whether circled around a fire, worshiping in an auditorium, or talking over coffee. I hope you’ll get that sense as you read through this issue of the magazine.
Tuesday, 31 August 2010 23:00
Celebrate Conference Focuses on Future Tom Hocking, the 2009-2010 moderator of the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches, encouraged conference attendees to find their own Springs of Life to share the gospel.  Grace Brethren military chaplains and their wives were recognized during the annual Chaplain
Tuesday, 31 August 2010 23:00
Core Essentials Kept at Heart of Curriculum RealignmentIt’s no surprise that as the economy continues to suffer and higher education costs continue to rise, many college-bound students are being forced to reconsider their post-high school plans. Often, that means evangelical students who would normally choose a private Christian education end up at more affordable state universities. However, at Grace College in Winona Lake, Ind., faculty and staff are helping students reimagine what it means to get a quality biblical education for a more practical price. Starting in Fall 2011, Grace College, which is affiliated with the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches, will offer students the opportunity to earn a three-year accelerated bachelor’s degree in each of its 50-plus major areas of study. Students on the accelerated track may earn a bachelor’s degree in three years or a bachelor’s and master’s degree in four. Grace President Dr. Ron Manahan says this new accelerated degree track, which comes with a redesigned academic calendar and a new emphasis on applied learning, meets a pressing need for a more affordable biblical education. He realizes that students can cut college costs by as much as 50 percent by saving a year’s worth of expenses and earning income in the workforce a year earlier.
Tuesday, 31 August 2010 23:00
Pifer's 70-Year Ministry Still Influences the Grace Brethren Fellowship
Lester Pifer celebrated 70 years in ministry this year.
The Grace Brethren church was experiencing its own “boom” during the late 1940s and 1950s. The newly-formed fellowship saw many young men enter the ministry. Missionaries were being sent out overseas, and new congregations were springing up at home.
The Brethren Home Missions Council had been in place for several years, led first by Rev. R. Paul Miller, and then by Dr. L. L. Grubb. The organization’s purpose was to assist, promote, and instruct in the planting of new Grace Brethren churches in the United States and Canada. Home Missions also played a key role in encouraging and supporting its pastors.
In 1953, in the midst of all this growth, a 33-year-old pastor named Lester Pifer joined the staff of Home Missions as the assistant to Dr. Grubb. He had already pastored three churches—in Tennessee; South Bend, Ind. (which he started); and Fremont, Ohio. His heart for evangelism and tireless energy for the ministry were becoming well-known across the Fellowship.
Tuesday, 31 August 2010 23:00
Take the Plunge into a Spring of LifeThis is an excerpt from the Moderator’s Address given at Celebrate 2010, the annual conference of the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches in July in Cincinnati, Ohio. God designed us to shape eternity in a positive way. Just as He constantly seeks to redeem people, so we are happiest when our lips and our lives direct people toward peace with God.  Kameron Jones from the Norwalk, Calif., Grace Brethren Church, and Jordan Bradley from the Peru, Ind., Grace Brethren Church, are ready to tackle the next job during We Care Miami Valley. Now, on the surface, these passions seem like things only a denomination or a very healthy church could do. But I want to suggest every ordinary believer—regardless of the health of his or her spiritual family or church—can declare the gospel, build up other believers, and minister to the poor. Our national ministries worked together to produce a booklet entitled Springs of Life, which describes a simple way to shape eternity by making disciples. The essential “pieces” of a Spring of Life show up in Luke 10 when Jesus commissioned 70 of His ordinary followers to be His ambassadors. |
