Carl Bert Black Sr., 72, Hagerstown, Md., December 16, 2007
James E. Boggan, 50, Orient, Ohio, October 23, 2007
Jack Churchill, 86, San Diego, Caif., January 8, 2008
Frank Thomas “Tom” Inman, 83, Colorado Springs, Co., December 20, 2007
Henry “Hank” Edward Montoya, 56, Fontana, Calif., December 28, 2007
Phyllis Polman, 85, Winona Lake, Ind., January 27, 2008
Elizabeth (Betty) Jean Poyner, 71, Palm Coast, Fla., December 10, 2007
Don Kendall Rager, 92, Upper Yoder Township, Pennsylvania, January 28, 2008
Ralph E. Wiley, 87, Sebring, Fla., January 3, 2008
Ray E. Shirey, 89, Hagerstown, Md., December 24, 2007

Carl Bert Black Sr.
The Rev. Carl Bert Black Sr., 72, of Hagerstown, Md., died Sunday, Dec. 16, 2007, at the Washington County Hospital.

Born July 14, 1935, in Bedford County, Pa., he was the son of the late William Erastus Black and Alverda Foster Black Perkowsky.

He served in the U.S. Army from 1954 to 1957. During the Korean Conflict, he spent 15 months in Korea.

He was superintendent of the Hagerstown Rescue Mission, where he served as Biblical studies teacher and a counselor.

He attended Grace Brethren Church, where he taught the Friendly Bible Sunday School class.

He was a member of the Association of Fundamental Ministers and Churches.

He is survived by his wife, Dorcas Jean Resh Black; two sons, Carl Bert Black Jr. and wife Brenda of Hagerstown, and Curtis Wayne Black of Hagerstown; one granddaughter, Erica Renee Doyle and husband, Kenny of McConnellsburg, Pa.; five grandsons, Michael Wesley Black and wife Breanne, Adrian Todd Black, Aaron Nathaniel Black, Matthew Hunter Black, all of Hagerstown, and PV2 Zachary Joel Black, serving in Bamberg, Germany.

He was preceded in death by two brothers, John William Black and Walter Lee Black.

Services were held December 20 at Grace Brethren Church, 837 Spruce St., Hagerstown. Pastor Brad Nigh will officiate. Burial was in Broadfording Memorial Gardens.

Memorial donations may be made to the Hagerstown Rescue Mission, 125 N. Prospect St., Hagerstown, MD 21740.

James E. Boggan
James E. Boggan, 50, of Orient, died October 23, 2007.

Jack Churchill 
Longtime Grace Brethren missionary Jack Churchill, died January 8 in San Diego, Calif.

Churchill was a longtime missionary to Argentina and to Mexico. He was honored this past August by the Association of Grace Brethren Ministers with their Lifetime Achievement Award.

Churchill and his first wife, Miriam Sickel Churchill, went to Argentina in November of 1949 and served there until 1965. They were responsible for establishing a Christian testimony in the Rio Tercero area and later went on to teach at and direct the Bible Institute.

In 1966, Jack and Miriam joined the Grace Brethren missionary team on the Mexican border, where they were involved in leadership training, teaching, and advising pastors.

Following Miriam's death in 1981, Jack continued to minister on the Mexican border. In 1983 he married Rosa, the widow of a Grace Brethren pastor in Mexico.

On August 20, 2007, Jack celebrated his 86th birthday, along with 24 years of marriage to Rosa.

Frank Thomas “Tom” Inman 
Tom spent his first Christmas with Jesus this year. He was born at home in Beaver City, Nebraska to Nelle and Harry Inman on August 3, 1924 and departed for his heavenly home on December 20, 2007.

He graduated from Beaver City High School and Tabor College in Hillsboro, Kansas where he met the love of his life, Geneva Pearl Heinrichs. They were married on August 19, 1950.

In 1953 he graduated summa cum laude from Grace Theological Seminary.

They moved to Denver, Colorado where he was the pastor of Grace Brethren Church from 1954 to 1970. In August 1970 they moved with their children to Colorado Springs, where he started a new church, Colorado Springs Grace Brethren. He served there until his retirement in 1994.

After his retirement he continued to serve the church in many areas including helping with the children’s ministry. Tom served on the board of Grace College and Seminary for 30 years. In addition, he was a substitute teacher for 50 years.

Tom’s passion in life was to lead people to Christ, to shepherd them and encourage them to also serve the Lord.

He used his artistic talents in numerous capacities including sermons with “Chalk Talks,” creative décor for the church sanctuary, oil paintings and in his later years spent many hours designing and creating hand stitched personalized gifts and cards. He will be greatly missed by the many whose lives he has touched.

Tom is survived by his wife, Geneva, his brother Harold, daughters Patty (Kit) Cushenbery, Lyn Nelle (James) Mustard, Laurel (Michael) Fassold and his son Bryce (Lu Ann) Inman, as well as his seven grandchildren, two of whom are married, and numerous nieces and nephews.

A memorial service was held at December 23 at Colorado Springs Grace Brethren Church, where Robert Schaffer is pastor.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Colorado Springs Grace Brethren Church and designated for the Tom Inman Memorial Fund.

Henry E. Montoya
Henry “Hank” Edward Montoya, a leader of “the Fountain,” a Grace Brethren church in Fontana, Calif., that recently closed, died December 28, 2007 after a long battle with Lou Gehrigs disease.

He was born July 3, 1951 in Pomona, Calif. to Edward and Sally Montoya. He leaves behind his loving parents and siblings, along with his children, Henry, Peter, Kristy, and Cheyanne; his granddaughter, Cierra; and countless friends.

Henry graduated from Gladstone High School, served in the United States Army, and went on to work for Albertsons for 32 years. He was a devoted follower of the Lord and touched countless lives through his faith and music. A service was held in Rialto, Calif. with burial at Rose Hills Memorial Park in Whittier.

Phyllis J. Polman
Phyllis Polman, 85, of 188 Grace Village Drive, Winona Lake, Ind., died on Sunday, January 27, 2008 at 10:40 p.m. at Kosciusko Community Hospital.

She was born on May 3, 1922 in Dayton, Ohio to Julia Ann (Boitnott) and Roy H. Kinsey. She was married in Dayton, Ohio on August 22, 1944 to Gerald Bernard Polman, who survives. Phyllis was a homemaker and a pastor’s wife for more than 50 years. A resident of Kosciusko County, Ind. for the past 21 years, Mrs. Polman was a member of Winona Lake Grace Brethren Church, and also a member of the Good Sam Club.

Phyllis is survived by her loving husband Gerald B. Polman of Winona Lake; one son, Roy Lee, and his wife, Judy, of Cherry Valley, Calif.; and two daughters: Ann, and her husband, Dave Grant, of Jacksonville, Fla.; and Kay, and her husband, Jeff Bowling, of Cumming, Ga. Also surviving are eight grandchildren, and ten great grandchildren. Phyllis was preceded in death by her parents and one sister.

Funeral services were held January 30, 2008 at Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home, Warsaw, Ind. Services will follow at 5 p.m. with Pastor Bruce Barlow officiating. A memorial service was also held January 31, 2008 at the Grace Village Retirement Community Chapel, Winona Lake, Ind. Entombment is at Royal Oak Memorial Gardens in Englewood, Ohio.

Memorial contributions may be sent to Grace Village Retirement Community, P.O. Box 337, Winona Lake, Indiana 46590.

Elizabeth (Betty) Jean Poyner
Elizabeth (Betty) Jean Poyner, 71, slipped peacefully into the presence of her heavenly Father after a courageous two-year battle with ovarian cancer on Monday, December 10, 2007, surrounded by her loved ones and devoted husband of 50 years.

Born October 10, 1936, in Waterloo, Iowa, Betty was the youngest of three children of Wert and Violet Van Eaton. After growing up in Waterloo, Betty’s professional nursing career began when she completed her RN degree at Kahler Methodist Nursing School in Rochester, MN.

She then went on to earn her BA Professional Arts degree from St. Joseph College in Windham, ME and a MBA from Frostburg University in Frostburg, MD. From 1991 to 2005, Betty was the director of Flagler Hospital’s Home Health Services in St. Augustine, FL, retiring in December of 2005.

In 2004, Betty was selected to become an elite member of the Certified Home/Hospice Care Executives. After retiring from Flagler Hospital, she continued to work part-time for Parkview Baptist Church located in Palm Coast, FL.

Betty was married on June 7, 1958 to Randall Eugene Poyner of Jesup, Iowa. During these 50 years of endearing companionship, Betty was a devoted wife, loving mother, and doting grandmother.

Because of Betty’s love for her God and innate sense of service, she also embraced the pastoral ministry alongside her husband, Rev. Dr. Randy Poyner, by directing women’s ministry and Christian education in Goshen, IN; Johnstown, PA; Lansing, MI; Fort Myers, FL; Hagerstown, MD; Little Rock, AR; and Palm Coast, FL. Betty’s home-style cooking was just one of her many endless gifts of hospitality.

Survivors include her husband, three children – Susan (Mike) Blackwell (Ft Myers, FL), Timothy (Sue) Poyner (Winona Lake, IN), and Mark (Christy) Poyner (Charleston, SC), seven grandchildren – Keith and Harmony Blackwell, Jordan, Jacob and Karly Poyner, Cameron and Ashley Poyner, siblings – Janie (Lindsey) Russell, James (Helen) Van Eaton, and several nieces and nephews.

A memorial service for Elizabeth (Betty) Jean Poyner will be held Saturday, December 22, 2007 at 10 am at Parkview Baptist Church located at 5435 Bell Terre Pkwy in Palm Coast, FL.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to be made in Betty’s name to the Hospice of Volusia/Flagler, 3800 Woodbriar Trail, Port Orange, FL 32129. Arrangements are under the care of Clymer Funeral Home in Palm Coast, FL.

Don Rager
Don Kendall Rager, 92, Upper Yoder Township, Pennsylvania, went to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on January 28, 2008 at Conemaugh Memorial Hospital.

Born November 15, 1915, in East Conemaugh, son of Howard B. and Elizabeth (Boyle) Rager, Don later lived in Portage, Conemaugh, and Moxham. Preceded in death by parents, beloved wife Hannah (Womer) Rager, and brothers Ray and Bob Rager. Survived by children, Judy (Jim) Kovalik, Johnstown, and Tim (Sharon) Rager, Indianapolis; and grandchildren, Griffin (Gwyn) Rager, Indianapolis, and Katie (Jordan) Goff, Charleston, S.C.; brother-in-law Jim (Ruth) Womer; sisters-in-law Nora (Howard) Womer, Lilla (Tom) Womer, and Leah (Dick) Womer; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A faithful husband and father, Don was employed by Bethlehem Steel Corp. from 1940—1962, years during which he and several friends founded the Riverside Grace Brethren Church (now Davidsville Community Church). When called on, Don served as pulpit supply for area churches, and made many lifelong friends in the process. In 1962 he accepted the call to become pastor of the Conemaugh Grace Brethren Church, where he served for 20 years, then continued after retirement as an active member till his death.

Don liked to sing harmony, make items from wood, and work crossword puzzles. He will be remembered for his love for Christ and the Bible, his warm smile and sense of humor, his gift of encouragement, and his sense of honesty and fairness.

At Don’s request there will be no public viewing or visitation. A memorial service was held on February 2 at the Conemaugh Grace Brethren Church, corner of Second and Oak Streets in East Conemaugh, with Pastor Ron Warrick officiating. Private burial arrangements were handled by Picking-Treece-Bennett Mortuary.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Don’s honor to Conemaugh Grace Brethren Church or the American Heart Association.

Ralph E. Wiley 
Ralph E. Wiley died on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2008. He was born on March 28, 1921.

On Aug. 18, 1939, he married Dorotha, who became his sweetheart of 60 years and who was there to welcome him into heaven.

He leaves behind daughter Donna (Harold) Clark, sons David Wiley, Galen (Elsie) Wiley; daughters Mary (Jim) Sprague, Ruth (Mark) Chibis and foster son, Mike Barr. They will miss him greatly. He left 12 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

His sister, Donna Dugger, also met him in heaven.

He was a veteran of World War II. He was chaplain at the Marion Correctional Institution in Marion, Ohio, for 29 years.

He and his wife started The Ambassador's Club, a youth ministry that affected hundreds of youth. After retiring, he became an interim pastor, serving in Grace Brethren churches in Akron Ellet (twice) and Minerva in Ohio; Charlotte in North Carolina; Orlando, Maitland, Okeechobee, Fort Lauderdale (twice) and Sebring (twice) in Florida. He also ministered at the Grace Brethren Church in Galion, Ohio.

He served with CE National for several years as a Senior Adult Coordinator. He and his wife Dorotha invested deeply in missions through Grace Brethren International Missions, with special burdens for the pygmies in Africa and the church-planters in the Philippines.

He left a living legacy in the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches as his son Galen Wiley is pastor at the Grace Brethren Church in Lancaster, Pa.; his granddaughter Letitia Yoder with her husband Mike is serving with Grace Brethren International Missions as a missionary in Berlin, Germany; his grandson Jonathan Wiley with his wife Kim is on the pastoral staff at the Grace Brethren Church in Columbus, Ohio; and his granddaughter Katrina Walker with her husband Cort was involved at the Liberty Grace Brethren Church in Johnson, Pa., as their first pastor for several years (before Cort went to Regent University for his law degree to help defend Christian freedoms).

When told he had metastasized melanoma he grinned ear to ear, looked at the clock, and said, "1-8-08 at 10:48 a.m. I'm out of here!" There will be no calling hours or memorial service because in typical Ralph style, he conducted his own at Thanksgiving.

Memorial contributions can be marked: Love gift for Filipino church planters and may be sent to GBIM, P.O. Box 80065, City of Industry, CA 91716.

Ray E. Shirey
Ray E. Shirey, 89, the father of Grace Brethren missionary Vicki DeArmey, went to be with his Lord on December 24, 2007. Mr. Shirey was a longtime member and leader in the Valley Grace Brethren Church of Hagerstown, where Daniel Pritchett is pastor.

Born Monday, Dec. 16, 1918, in Hagerstown, Md., he was the son of the late Pearl Cromer Henson.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Marjorie Juanita Shirey, in 1999.

Ray served his country both in peacetime and war from 1938 to 1945. During World War II he was a 1st Lt. in the 106th Infantry Division serving in Germany.

He served his Savior Christ Jesus as a witness, Sunday school teacher, Sunday school superintendent, financial secretary, head usher and deacon at Grace Brethren Church on Spruce Street, and was a founding member and vice moderator of Valley Grace Brethren Church in Halfway, until a new pastor was called. He taught in D.V.B.S., Church Boys Club and also brought messages at the Union Rescue Mission and in Prison Ministry.

He is survived by three daughters, Rayetta J. Schindel and husband, Hugh, of Hagerstown, Vicki DeArmey and husband, Larry, of Winona Lake, Ind., and Rebecca S. Collinson of Hagerstown; one son, Robin L. Shirey of Hagerstown; one sister, Virginia DeLosier of Boonsboro, Md.; three brothers, Newton Henson of Hagerstown, Donald Henson of Hagerstown, and James Henson of Hagerstown; 10 grandchildren, and eight-great grandchildren.

Services were held in Hagerstown, withi interment will be in Rest Haven Cemetery, Hagerstown.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Grace Brethren International Missions, P.O. Box 588, Winona Lake, IN 46590.
 

Participants in the upcoming Brethren Heritage Tour will have an unprecedented opportunity to interact with Grace Brethren leaders from around the world during the 300th anniversary of the founding of the Brethren movement.

The anniversary celebration will be held August 2 and 3 in Schwarzenau, Germany and is the first stop on the tour, which is hosted by Grace Brethren International Missions. The anniversary celebration includes activities such as seeing the village of Schwarzenau, visiting the Alexander Mack Museum -- named after the founder of the movement, hiking (as Mack did) to the mill along the river, and attending a Saturday evening concert.

The following news briefs are from the March-April issues of The Brethren Missionary Herald magazine.

Ministry Moves
Harald Bjerga is the senior pastor at the Grace Brethren Church in Hagerstown, Md. He was formerly the associate pastor at Grace Community Church in Fremont, Ohio

Daron Butler has been named pastor of cross cultural missions at the Grace Brethren Church, Wooster, Ohio.

Dave Marksbury is providing interim pastoral leadership at the Grace Brethren Church, Millersburg, Ohio. He is seniors pastor at the Wooster church.

Kurt Miller, who has served with Grace Brethren International Missions as mobilization coordinator for the eastern region since February, 2007, is the new lead pastor of the Grace Brethren Church of Martinsburg, Pa.

Milestones
Matt Moore has been named sports information director at Grace College, Winona Lake, Ind. He is also an assistant basketball coach at the school.

David Ogden and Chris Brown were married on December 29 at the Grace Brethren Church in Sebring, Fla. He is on the pastoral staff at the Grace Brethren Church, Sebring, Fla. Both lost previous spouses to death.

Grace Brethren military chaplain Mark Penfold has been promoted to Lieutenant Colonel while deployed with the First Cavalry Division in Iraq.

Dr. Nathan S. Bosch will be joining the Grace faculty as director of the Grace College Water Quality Project and assistant professor of environmental science. He will serve as part-time director for 1½ years as he completes his post doctoral fellowship at the University of Michigan, beginning full-time in fall 2009. In addition, he will plan the college’s new degree in environmental science.

Concrete Kudos for OCC

The newest building on the Grace College campus, the Orthopaedic Capital Center (OCC), has received the 2007 Excellence in Masonry Award from the Indiana Concrete Masonry Association. Particularly noted were several design features involving the use of masonry in the exterior and interior of the building. The selection was made by a jury comprised of three architects.

The OCC, completed in May 2007, is a 56,000-square-foot facility on the Winona Lake, Ind. campus which is the home of Grace College athletics, chapel, and the school's Business Department. The facility was built in partnership with local orthopaedic companies and provides a major event center for the college and community.

GBIM Chad Team Safe
Grace Brethren missionary staff in Chad was evacuated to Cameroon in early February after rebels surrounded the Chadian capital of N'djamena.

Charis to Convene
Key Grace Brethren leaders from around the world will gather at Bad Homburg, Germany for the Charis Leadership Encounter on August 2-9. The event gathers leaders of Grace Brethren churches from approximately 20 countries to discuss matters of common interest and to plan for cooperation and mutual support. This is the fourth such meeting since the first one was held in France in 1994.