We have received word of the deaths of the following individuals. We extend our sympathy to the families of these individuals, who have been a vital part of the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches over the years.

Lowell Hoyt
Laura E. Kriegbaum
Robert K. “Bob” Rohrer
Kenneth L. Teague
Lee Burris

Lowell Hoyt, 87, of Dayton, Tenn., died on April 6. He was born May 30, 1919, in Dallas Center, Iowa, the son of the late Clarence and Anna (Dorsey) Hoyt. A brother to the late Dr. Herman Hoyt, who was one of the founders and former president of Grace College and Theological Seminary, Lowell Hoyt served on the Grace board of trustees from 1949-1982, and also taught part-time in mathematics at Grace. He was a graduate of Bryan College, Grace Theological Seminary (BD 45, ThM 61), and the University of South Carolina, and served as a pastor and college math teacher during his lifetime.

He was preceded in death by his first wife, Lola (Goehring) and two sons. Lowell is survived by his wife, Rebecca (Peck) Hoyt, of Dayton; his sons, Bruce Hoyt, of New Zealand, Loren Hoyt, of Iowa, Stanley Hoyt, of Georgia, Mark Hoyt, of Texas, and Sherwood Hoyt, of Pennsylvania; his daughter, Nelda Banek, of Texas; 35 grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren.

Laura B. Estep Humberd, 88, of Winona Lake, Ind., died March 19 in her residence. She was born September 30, 1918, in Springfield, Ohio. On August 29, 1942, she married Jesse Humberd, who survives. Living in the Winona Lake/Warsaw area since 1951, she was a former elementary school teacher and taught at Grace College. While in Ohio she operated a kindergarten in her home for five years. She was a member of Indiana Retired Teachers Association and Winona Lake Grace Brethren Church, where she was a past primary superintendent.

Also surviving are two daughters, Lenora “Lee” Kingery, Dover, Del.; and Margaret “Meg” Damer, Howe, Ind.; five grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.

Laura E. Kriegbaum died on June 7 at the age of 89 years and 11 months in Fishers, Ind. The daughter of the late Rev. R. Paul Miller and Anne Alverta Myers Miller, she was a former French and English high school teacher in Warsaw, Ind. and an accomplished musician. She was a charter member of the Grace Brethren churches of Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Ocala, Fla.

She is survived by her husband of 67 years, Rev. Arnold R. Kriegbaum, 93, Fishers, Ind.; two sons, Dr. Richard A. Kriegbaum and wife, Peggi, Fresno, Calif.; Dr. Ward A. Kriegbaum and wife, Kristin, Wheaton, Ill.; and daughter, Karen Bragg, and husband, Dr. Charles F. Bragg, Fishers, Ind.; five grandchildren, 13 great-grand children and four brothers and two sisters.

Robert K. “Bob” Rohrer, 76, of Manheim, Pa., died on March 23 in Lancaster, Pa. Born in Manheim, Pa., he was the son of the Oscar O. and Edith Shue Rohrer. He was the loving husband of and his wife, Jean Wagner Rohrer, observed their 56th wedding anniversary in October. The couple helped start the Grace Brethren Church of Lancaster and the Grace Brethren Church of Manheim. They were members of the Grace Brethren Church of Lititz for 25 years. A vocal enthusiast, Bob was a member of the Gospel Four Quartet and sang at more than one hundred weddings.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by two sons, David A., husband of Kristina B., Arcanum, Ohio, Michael A., husband of Becky L., of Princess Anne, Md.; six grandchildren; four great grandchildren; two sisters, Darlene, wife of David Creighton, Lancaster, and Janice, wife of Jay Martin, Manheim.

Kenneth L. Teague, 83, of Sanger, Texas, formerly of Roanoke, Va., died Monday, July 9. He served as pastor of the Ghent Grace Brethren Church for more than 20 years. After retiring in 1987, he moved to his hometown of Buena Vista, Va. where he became the first pastor of the Calvary Brethren Church in Buena Vista.

He was a graduate of Wheaton College, Wheaton, Ill. and Grace Theological Seminary, Winona Lake, Ind. He was predeceased by his parents, Moda and Lillian Teague and his wife, Mary Lawhorn Teague. He is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Rebecca and Steve Rosenthal of Sanger ,Tex.; a son, Larry Teague of Palm Bay, Fla.; four granddaughters; eight great-grandchildren; and many spiritual sons and daughters. John Ruby Terrell died on July 20. He was 74. He was a graduate of Taylor University, Upland, Ind., and Ashland Theological Seminary, Ashland, Ohio. John married his high school sweetheart, Joanne Blosser, in September 1952. They served for many years as pastor and wife at churches in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Washington State. Their 27 years of marriage ended with Joanne’s death in 1980. In 1992, John married Patricia Steffes in Mercer Island, Wash. In 1998, they moved to Port Orange, Fla., to care for John’s mother, Betty Mae Terrell.

He is survived by his wife, Patricia, his children and stepchildren, Rebecca (Donald) McIntosh, Jennifer (Rodney) Kauffman, John (Lori) Terrell, Betsy (Ruben) Hernandez, John (Kathie) Steffes, Andrew Steffes, Karin O’Hall; 23 grandchildren and great-grandchildren; his brothers Charlie (Marge), Dale (Anabelle) and Dan (Michelle) Terrell; and his sister, Betty Lou (Russell) Mills.

Lee Burris, U.S. Army Chaplain and former Grace Brethren pastor, died on August 4, 2007, passing peacefully in sleep in the Sacramento, California, area.

Burris was born January 22, 1925, in Indianola, Oklahoma, the son of a migrant farm worker. A veteran of 20 years, he served in Navy in WWII and in the Army as a Chaplain, including two tours in Viet Nam, retiring as Lieutenant Colonel. After his service in the military he served as a pastor of several churches, including Fremont (Ohio) Grace Brethren Chapel, where he pastored from 1976-1979.

Lee Burris graduated from Biola University in 1952 and Talbot Seminary in 1955 with a Bachelor of Divinity and in 1969 with a Master of Divinity. He was ordained as a minister in the Grace Brethren Church in the Northwest District in 1957.

He was married to Lois Paxton on June 10, 1950, and they had four children, Margaret, David, Robert, and Jonathan.

Burris leaves behind his wife of 57 years, four children, ten grandchildren, his brother Jack, and countless friends. He served the Lord preaching God’s Word and ministering daily to family, friends, and all those he met. He loved playing games, telling jokes, and visiting with family and friends. A memorial service was held at the Antelope Springs Community Church in Roseville, California.

He served as an enlistee in the U.S. Navy during WWII from 1943-1946, serving in the South Pacific and Australia. He served in the U.S. Army as a Grace Brethren Chaplain from 1958 to 1976, retiring as Lieutenant Colonel, followed by pastorates in Ohio and California.

He served two tours in Vietnam from 1966-1967 (Cam Ranh Bay) and 1969-1970 (Phu Bai). He received the Army Commendation Medal, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, and the Vietnam Service Medal with four campaign stars.

Burris’ sons, Bob, Jonathan, and David are setting up a memorial for their father at Talbot Seminary, 13800 Biola Ave., La Mirada, CA 90639, for the "Talbot Student Scholarship Fund."
 

Are you curious to know more about being a Christ-follower?

Perhaps you received this paper during a visit to a Grace Brethren church.

Or perhaps a friend or neighbor gave it to you – with an invitation to attend church.

Do you want to know how to have meaning, purpose, and fulfillment in life, as Taylor Smith does? Do you want to experience a heart make-over, like many of the students at Momentum07?

What is important in life is not to what church you belong or how good a life you lead, but whether you know and follow God’s plan for your personal salvation from sin. That logic, based on the Bible, goes like this:

- We are all sinners, both by being born with a sin-nature and by acts which we’ve committed (Romans 3:23)
- Because of that sin, our destiny is to be separated eternally from God (Ephesians 2:8)
- But God’s Son, Jesus Christ, became sin for us and gave His life to pay for our sin (John 3:16)
- Therefore, just by repenting of our sin, asking for God’s forgiveness, and acknowledging Jesus Christ as Savior, we can receive both forgiveness and eternal life.

Do you want to make that commitment? Would you like to know more about it? Tell God in your own words that you are ready to commit to Him. Then contact a good Bible-teaching church for help in the next steps to take in your relationship with Him. Or, call us here at FGBC World for more information and help finding a church. 

Events of general interest among Grace Brethren Churches. Details and registration information are available from the sponsoring organizations or at www.fgbc.org.

Sept. 16 – Mid Atlantic Celebration, Calvary GBC, Hagerstown, Md. (CEN)
Sept. 17 – Northern Atlantic Celebration, Good ‘n Plenty Restaurant, Smoketown, Pa. (CEN)
Sept. 20-22 – Sibs Weekend (GC&S)
Sept. 26 – VIP Campus Visit Day (GC&S)
Oct. 8-10 – Central Focus Retreat (FGBC), Mohican State Park, Ohio
Oct. 8-12 – Mid-Term Exam Week (GC&S)
Oct. 15-16 – Fall Break (GC&S)
Oct. 18-19 – VIP Campus Visit Days (GC&S)
Oct. 22-24 – East Focus Retreat (FGBC), Sandy Cove, Maryland
Oct. 22-25 – Grace Conference on Mission (GC&S)
Oct. 26-28 – Women’s Leadership Summit, Wyomissing, Pa. (WGUSA)
Nov. 2-4 – Grace Homecoming (GC&S)
Nov. 14 -- Deadline for applications and references for Operation Barnabas 2008 (CEN)

CEN = CE National
FGBC = Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches
GBIM = Grace Brethren International Missions
GBNAM = Grace Brethren North American Missions
GC&S = Grace College and Seminary
WGUSA = Women of Grace USA 

The following news briefs are from the appropriate year’s September-October issues of The Brethren Missionary Herald magazine.

Fifteen Years Ago – 1992
Mike and Myra Taylor and family moved to France to study French, preparing for medical missionary work in the Central African Republic. Mike had received the International Humanitarian Award for Physician’s Assistants.

A centennial celebration was held at the Lanham, Md. Grace Brethren Church, recognizing the six churches that were planted by the First Brethren Church at 12th and E Sts., S.E. in Washington, D.C., which began in October 1892. Russell Ogden was the host pastor.

Twenty Years Ago – 1987
In August, the Lake Odessa, Mich., Grace Brethren Church had celebrated its 100th anniversary in August. Bill Stevens was the pastor.

Charles Thornton became the pastor at the Grace Brethren Church in Millersburg, Ohio, having served previously at Dallas Center, Iowa.

Thirty Years Ago - 1977
Fellowship of Grace Brethren Church officers were Jim Custer, moderator; Jerry Young, chairman of the executive committee; Charles Ashman, conference coordinator; and Dean Fetterhoff, ministerium president.

New faculty members at Grace College, Winona Lake, Ind. included Ron Manahan and D. Brent Sandy.

Fifty Years Ago – 1957
The Fort Wayne (Ind.) Grace Brethren Church building was dedicated on October 6. Tom Julien was the pastor.

The charter membership of the Warsaw (Ind.) Community Grace Brethren Church was closed on October 6 with 38 members. Robert Cover was the pastor.

Sixty Years Ago - 1947
The Leesburg (Ind.) Brethren Church completed its organization with 36 charter members. Clyde Landrum was the pastor.
 

Pastors Honored for Service
Gateway Grace Community Church Burns Mortgage
Norwalk Church Recognized
Ministerial Moves
On the Grace Campus
Social Work Department Reaffirmed

Pastors Honored for Service
Three Grace Brethren pastors were recognized for their work during the annual meeting of the Association of Grace Brethren Ministers on July 22 in Winona Lake, Ind. Dr. David Plaster was presented the Excellence in Ministry award, Rick Nuzum was named Pastor of the Year, and Jack Churchill was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Gateway Grace Community Church Burns Mortgage
Less than five years after the Gateway Grace Community Church, the Grace Brethren church in Coatesville, Pa. purchased 34 acres of prime real estate in Chester County, they completely paid the balance due on their note. On June 10, 2007, they celebrated with a mortgage burning.

“The Lord gave us the land for half a million dollars,” notes Dan O’Deens, pastor. “We burned that mortgage! Up in flames it went!”

With the land paid for, the church is starting over. This fall, they break ground for their first building with assistance from the Grace Brethren Investment Foundation. (See related story here.)

In preparation for the mortgage burning at the Gateway Grace Community Church, a stone mason constructed an altar during a service. It will be installed in their new building to help them remember the event.

Norwalk Church Recognized
The Grace Brethren Church of Norwalk, Calif. was honored on July 29 as the “Church of the Week” by radio station KKLA. In the photo, Pastor Wayne Ayer (left) receives a plaque from KKLA’s Jon Robberson. Pastor Ayer was also interviewed on KKLA’s The Frank Pastore Show the next day.

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

Jerry Funston is the new associate pastor at the Sunbury, Ohio, Grace Brethren Church, where Brian Williams is senior pastor.

Roland Maust has been named as the pastor of the Grace Brethren church in Uniontown, Pa. He previously served at the Grace Brethren Church in Millersburg, Ohio.

Todd Scoles is an associate with the Marysville, Ohio, Grace Brethren Church, where Clancy Cruise is the pastor. He previously was the senior associate pastor at the Northwest Chapel Grace Brethren Church in Dublin, Ohio (Terry Hofecker, pastor).

On the Grace Campus

Dr. Tom Prinsen and Gert Kumi have joined the faculty of Grace College, Winona Lake, Ind. In addition, Chad Briscoe and Michael Voss have joined the staff of the college’s athletic department.

Prinsen (right) comes from the University of South Dakota to chair the communications department at Grace. He has extensive teaching experience, including a stint at Houghton College.
 

Kumi (right), a world-class violinist, will lead the School of Music’s string department. An Albanian-born prodigy, he made his orchestral debut with the Tirana Philharmonic Orchestra at age 15, and has performed with many European orchestras. Discovered by Stephen Clapp, the dean of the prestigious Juilliard School, Kumi moved to New York in 2000, ultimately receiving both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Juilliard.
 
In the athletic department, Briscoe (left) is the new athletic director. He comes from Geneva College where he served as physical education instructor, assistant athletic director, and head assistant men’s basketball. In addition, he brings with him professional baseball leadership experience having served as general manager of the rookie affiliate of the Texas Rangers Professional Baseball Club, as well as director of game day operations, director of marketing, and assistant director of marketing for the Anderson Lawmen, an independent minor league professional baseball club.

Voss is serving as the head women’s soccer coach and intramural director. He has experience as a high school administrator, a head women's soccer coach at Mt. San Jacinto College, and his most recent work as a missionary/coach in Belize, Central America.

Social Work Department Reaffirmed
At Grace College, the Social Work Department has received reaffirmation of its Baccalaureate Social Work Program by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) for the full, eight-year cycle.

Dr. Carrie Yocum, department chair, says “CSWE is the professional body that accredits bachelor and master level social work programs. Social work accreditation is beneficial to students and the institution because it assures that programs have a level of performance, integrity, and quality that entitles them to the confidence of the educational community. It offers professional judgment about the quality of the program, encourages continual improvement of the program, and assures the competence of social work practitioners.”